Future of aerospace
Boeing is accelerating its manufacturing, skill development and engineering footprint in India forging the way towards building a strong and indigenous ecosystem, in support of the “Make in India” initiative.
In recent years it has enhanced its global aerospace sourcing from India, launched foundation for a joint venture facility with Tatas in Hyderabad for manufacturing fuselages and aero-structures for the Apache attack helicopter, built infrastructure like the Nagpur MRO, partnered with NSDC to skill aerospace workers, and is rapidly scaling up its advanced engineering center in Bangalore among other significant activities.
When Boeing looks at advantages across the world in quality, capability and cost, India is an obvious partner.
“Make in India” is not only a government campaign, it is a core element of Boeing’s business strategy.
Therefore, Boeing has accelerated its pace of investments, capitalizing on the Indian capability and talent.
Boeing’s sourcing from India has doubled in recent years and now stands close to half a billion dollars a year. By 2020, Boeing expects that sourcing will increase four times the 2014 level.
Boeing’s long standing relationship with India involves the concentrated use of Boeing commercial aircraft, academic partnerships in research & development with Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), collaborations in manufacturing and sourcing, and building upon Boeing’s large global supply chain.
As Boeing continues to strategically invest to add value to its global scale and depth, the company looks at quality, capability, productivity, and market growth.
India offers tremendous advantages in all these areas.
Some of the most advanced engineered and manufactured aircraft components like the fuselage of the Chinook helicopter, floor beams for the 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliner and titanium forgings for the 737 and 777X come from Boeing’s supply chain in India, comprising more than 30 direct suppliers.
Boeing has been working with Tata Advanced Materials, Dynamatic Technologies, Bharat Forge, Bharat Electronics, Tata Advanced Systems, Hindustan Aeronautics, TAL Manufacturing Solutions, Rossell Techsys, Sasmos etc. illustrating the varied aerospace capabilities Boeing is helping build in its Indian supply-chain.
Skilling India for the future of aerospace
Skilled workforce in the aerospace sector is the need of the nation as it moves towards realizing the “Make in India” agenda.
To address this critical need for skills development, Boeing is partnering with the National Skill Development Corporation India (NSDC) and the Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) to provide world-class vocational training to frontline factory workers, and also offering on-the-job training for them with its industrial partners.
Inspiring the next generation of aerospace engineers
Being an aerospace leader, Boeing sees a role inspiring the next generation of engineering talent in India.
Boeing launched a national aero-modeling competition for engineering universities across India in 2013 to build real-time machines.
The competition, now in its third year, teaches young talent to integrate their classroom lessons across engineering disciplines, into a fully functional model aircraft.
Such practical preparation teaches students to compete and deliver for the global aerospace industry.
More than 670 students participated in the competition just in 2016.
A current priority for Boeing is to rapidly scale up its advanced engineering center in Bangalore.
Startup India – fostering entrepreneurship
Evolved partnerships with academia and industry have resulted in establishing two research centers – Aerospace Network Research Consortium (ANRC) at Bangalore and National Centre for Aerospace Innovation and Research (NCAIR) with IIT Bombay in Mumbai.
NCAIR has spurred technology entrepreneurship in aerospace manufacturing for the industry and encouraged a startup culture in the country.
Furthermore, Boeing has been able to promote cutting-edge research and technology in wireless networks, developing patents and several research papers at ANRC.
Boeing – a responsible corporate citizen
As a responsible business, Boeing is committed to improving the quality of life in the communities where it operates.
The company and its employees are actively involved in various education and health programs in India.
The two major initiatives include support of cancer patients with CanSupport promoting public health and hygiene, as part of the ‘Clean India’ mission, with Sulabh International.
“As we continue to move forward, we see exciting advancements in our relationship that would enable the Indian aerospace industry to become the economic growth engine, it aspires to be,” said Boeing. fii-news.com
