SOURCE: AFI
Jean-Marc Budin, Senior Vice President for the Middle East, Africa, and India at Thales, has announced a significant investment in India’s burgeoning aviation sector. A multi-million euro project is underway to establish an advanced Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Gurgaon, near the Delhi airport, with completion expected by 2025. This facility is designed to enhance service efficiency for key Indian airlines like Air India and IndiGo, providing state-of-the-art maintenance solutions for avionics systems.
“Thales is committed to supporting India in preparing for the impending large-scale aviation sector growth and transformation,” Budin stated, highlighting the strategic importance of this investment. The MRO will serve as a hub for maintaining and upgrading avionics, ensuring the operational efficiency of India’s rapidly expanding airline fleets.
The Indian MRO sector is on the cusp of significant growth, with projections estimating a turnover of $4 billion within the next seven years. This expansion is fueled by the country’s domestic aircraft fleet, which is anticipated to exceed 1,400 units in the next five years, underlining the need for enhanced maintenance capabilities.
Thales’ commitment to India extends beyond MRO. The company is actively expanding its manufacturing presence in the country, leveraging a network of over 75 local suppliers. These partners are involved in various critical areas such as radar systems, software and hardware development, and airport navigational aids. Over the last five years, Thales has invested more than €900 million in procuring components from India, with €242 million spent in 2023 alone, indirectly creating approximately 2,000 jobs.
Budin emphasized Thales’ alignment with India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Export from India’ initiatives, aiming to embed the local industry into global supply chains. This strategy not only supports local job creation and skill development but also positions India as a hub for international manufacturing and exports.
Looking forward, Thales plans to double its engineering workforce in India by 2027. Currently, the company employs 1,550 engineers at its engineering competence centers in Noida and Bengaluru. These centers are pivotal in developing advanced solutions in aerospace, cybersecurity, digital identity, and defense, contributing significantly to both local and global projects.