Air India Converts 15 Airbus A321NEO Orders to Latest Generation A321XLR

Air India, India’s leading global airline, today announced the conversion of 15 of its current orders for Airbus A321neo aircraft to the advanced Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) variant. The conversion of the orders was announced today on the sidelines of Wings India 2026, a one of Asia’s premier civil aviation events, in Hyderabad.

The conversion is part of Air India’s landmark orders placed with Airbus in 2023 with an addition in 2024, comprising a total of 50 twin-aisle A350 and 300 single-aisle A320 Family aircraft. Of the 300 single-aisle aircraft, this conversion to A321XLR applies to 15 of 210 A321neo aircraft ordered, while the remainder 90 A320neo remain as originally structured. The deliveries of the 15 A321XLR are expected between 2029 and 2030.

The A321XLR, the latest variant in the evolution of the widely successful A320neo Family, offers a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (or 8,700 kilometres) while delivering exceptional fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and superior onboard comfort for passengers. This capability will enable Air India to open new non-stop international routes and optimise high-demand, medium-haul international services, with the flight economics of a single-aisle aircraft.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India, said: “The strategic conversion of a portion of our single-aisle Airbus aircraft orders to the A321XLR is in line with our effort of positioning Air India for the future. While we transform our current fleet at an accelerated pace with new and retrofitted aircraft, we are also carefully building our future fleet that, with scale and versatility, serves the rapidly evolving needs of travellers from and to India. We are happy with our strong partnership with Airbus, who continue to support our vision with the latest of aviation excellence.”

"Air India's decision to select the A321XLR is a significant endorsement of this game-changing aircraft. The A321XLR is proving to be a revenue generator by boosting frequencies, managing seasonality, and optimising capacity on medium-haul routes. We are pleased to see Air India using the XLR’s efficiency and range to open new opportunities and strengthen India's connections with the rest of the world," said Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus Executive Vice President of Commercial Aircraft Sales.

Air India and Airbus are long-standing partners. The two companies have a 50:50 joint venture that has set up an advanced pilot training centre, inaugurated in September 2025, at the Air India Training Academy in Gurugram, Haryana. The state-of-the-art facility, equipped with 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFS), will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to support the exponential growth of commercial aviation in India.

Currently, Air India has outstanding deliveries of 542 new aircraft (including 344 with Airbus) out of its total firm orders for 600 aircraft, underscoring its commitment to building one of the world's youngest and most efficient fleets to support India's growing aviation ambitions.

Since its privatisation in January 2022, the Air India group has added nearly 170 aircraft to its fleet through a combination of new deliveries, strategic leases, merger of erstwhile Vistara into Air India, and the reactivation of long-grounded aircraft, thus marking significant progress in capacity expansion and fleet modernisation.

Air India–Airbus JV Unveils Simulator-Driven Training Centre for 5,000 Pilots

Air India and Airbus have inaugurated a state-of-the-art pilot training centre at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, aimed at training over 5,000 pilots in the next decade to support India’s booming aviation sector.

The 12,000 sq. m. facility, a 50:50 joint venture between Air India and Airbus, will feature 10 Full Flight Simulators for Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families, with courses approved by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Currently, two A320 simulators are operational, with more to be added progressively.

This centre consolidates Air India’s pilot training under one roof and strengthens India’s aviation infrastructure. It complements the Academy’s broader goal of training 50,000 aviation professionals, including cabin crew, engineers, and ground staff over the next few years.

Watch the video of the Air India and Airbus facility that will shape the future of Air India’s pilot training.

Air India is also developing South Asia’s largest Flying Training Organisation (FTO) in Amravati and a Basic Maintenance Training Organization (BMTO) near its upcoming MRO facility in Bengaluru, further boosting India’s aviation capabilities.

Airbus Deepens India Ties with $1 Billion Sourcing and New R&D Hub

In a strategic move that underscores India’s growing clout in global aerospace manufacturing, European aviation giant Airbus is now sourcing over $1 billion worth of components annually from more than 100 Indian suppliers, according to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The announcement followed Vaishnaw’s meeting with Jürgen Westermeier, Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, where the company also revealed plans to establish a Centre of Excellence for Research and Development at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Vadodara, Gujarat.

“With strong design capabilities, Airbus will soon set up an R&D Centre of Excellence at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya,” — Ashwini Vaishnaw

Bengaluru: Digital Backbone of Airbus

• Airbus’ Digital Centre in Bengaluru is now its second-largest globally, after Toulouse.
• It employs over 1,500 skilled IT professionals supporting digital transformation across divisions.
• Since 2018, Airbus has operated a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in India for engineering, maintenance, and IT services.

Academic Collaboration and Talent Development

• Airbus signed an MoU with Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in 2023.
• Focus areas include co-developing curricula, industrial training, and international academic partnerships.
• Goal: Build a pipeline of aerospace-ready talent and strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem.

Strategic Implications

• Airbus has over 3,600 employees across India.
• Its supplier network reflects India’s strength in cost-effective manufacturing, engineering talent, and digital capabilities.
• This expansion aligns with India’s ambition to become a global aviation hub.

Mahindra Aerostructures to Manufacture Aircraft Parts for Aernnova in Multi-Year, $300 Mn Pact

Aernnova Aerospace, SAU & Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt. Ltd (MASPL) have announced a multi-year contract valued at approximately $300 million for MASPL to manufacture metal sub-assemblies and components for a range of Airbus aircraft and also for Embraer aircraft families (including the Embraer C390 Millennium military transport aircraft). The contract covers the supply to several Aernnova sites in Spain, the UK, Portugal and Brazil, further strengthening a collaboration that began in 2013.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ricardo Chocarro, CEO of Aernnova said, "This partnership with Mahindra will enable Aernnova to reinforce its supply base to secure production ramp-ups in our factories for all our programs, fulfilling our mission to deliver to our customers. We have great confidence in MASPL’s expertise and high-end technology capabilities to industrialize the different packages with the support of our technical experts in the different areas of work”.

Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group said “We are delighted with the confidence Aernnova has reposed on us and are grateful for their support. As we scale up our operations and make significant investments in our Aerospace business, we look forward to enhancing this partnership and scale new heights.”

Mr Arvind Mehra, Managing Director and CEO of Mahindra Aerostructures with Mr Ricardo Chocarro, CEO of Aernnova

Speaking about the alliance, Mr. Arvind Mehra, Managing Director and CEO of Mahindra Aerostructures said: “The Aernnova partnership has been of great importance to us since the inception of our business, and it is truly an exciting moment to sign this new contract with them. This contract builds significantly on our existing relationship with their UK subsidiary and also opens up several opportunities to make in India. Through incremental investment in capability and capacity, we are thrilled to showcase our value proposition across the realms of industrial process maturity, digitalization, performance and sustainability and contribute to our customers production rate ramp up plans”.

Aernnova supported MASPL in the early stages of its facility development in India, with strong contributions to the facility design and development, as well as for skilling and skill assessment. The relationship stepped up to a new level when Aernnova acquired an existing customer of MASPL, Hamble Aerostructures (UK), from GE in 2020. The new Aernnova contract evolved over multiple engagements where both companies studied new opportunities and finalized a collaboration strategy. Both businesses intend to build on this base to further grow the size of the relationship progressively over the coming years.

Mahindra Aerostructures Selected by Airbus for manufacturing H130 Helicopter Fuselage – A 'Make in India' Milestone

• Assemblies to be delivered to Airbus Helicopters' facility in Europe starting March 2027

Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt. Ltd. (MASPL), a part of the Mahindra Group, has been awarded a prestigious contract by Airbus Helicopters to manufacture and assemble the main fuselage of its H130 light single-engine helicopter — marking a major milestone for India's ‘Make in India’ vision and further cementing Mahindra’s position as a trusted partner in the global aerospace supply chain.

The contract was signed in the presence of Shri. Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Honourable Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, Shri. Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus in India and South Asia, and Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO and Managing Director of the Mahindra Group.

Under this agreement, Mahindra will produce the H130’s main fuselage assembly, which will then be shipped to Airbus Helicopters’ facilities in Europe. Industrialisation will commence immediately, with the first cabin assembly scheduled for delivery by March 2027.

Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group, said, “We are delighted to deepen our longstanding partnership with Airbus through this pivotal aerostructures contract. As a global leader, Airbus has played a transformative role in nurturing India’s aerospace ecosystem and showcasing it on the world stage. It is an honour for us to build on our proven track record with Airbus, harness our industrial process excellence, and embark on this new initiative. This collaboration highlights our commitment to supporting the Government of India's flagship 'Make in India' program.”

Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus in India and South Asia said, “We have a strategic plan for India and we are implementing it to develop a holistic aerospace ecosystem across all dimensions: assembly, manufacturing, engineering, innovation, digital and training. The H130 fuselage manufacturing contract underscores Airbus’ confidence in the growing industrial excellence of the Indian supply chain, which offers the right mix of competencies and competitiveness. We are glad to extend this bond with India through our latest association with our partner Mahindra Aerostructures.”

Mahindra already supplies a variety of parts and sub-assemblies for Airbus’ commercial aircraft programmes. The latest contract marks a significant milestone for Mahindra as it continues to expand its portfolio of capabilities from parts and sub-assemblies to larger and more complex aerostructures.

For Airbus, India is both a major market and a strategic resource hub. Today, every Airbus commercial aircraft has components and technologies made in India. Currently, Airbus’ annual procurement of components and services from India stands at $1.4 billion.

The H130 is an intermediate single-engine helicopter tailored for passenger transport, tourism and private and business aviation, as well as medical airlift and surveillance missions. It has a wide, unobstructed cabin, which accommodates the pilot and up to seven passengers, providing outstanding visibility through a large wrap-around windscreen and wide windows. Its state-of-the-art technologies, materials, systems and avionics make it a quiet and powerful helicopter.

Air India Adds 100 More Airbus Aircraft Including A321neo

Air India, India’s leading global airline, has confirmed it has placed an order to purchase 100 more Airbus aircraft, comprising 10 widebody A350 and 90 narrowbody A320 Family aircraft, including A321neo. These 100 new aircraft are in addition to the firm orders of 470 aircraft that Air India had placed with Airbus and Boeing last year.

The latest order takes the total number of aircraft that Air India ordered with Airbus in 2023 from 250 aircraft, comprising 40 A350 and 210 A320 Family aircraft, to 350.

Air India also announced it has selected Airbus’ Flight Hour Services-Component (FHS-C) to support the maintenance requirements of its growing A350 fleet. The new materials & maintenance contract will help Air India to optimise the reliability and performance of its A350 fleet, with comprehensive engineering services and integrated component services including on-site stock at Delhi provided by Airbus.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons and Air India, said, “With India’s passenger growth outpacing the rest of the world, its significantly improving infrastructure and an aspirational young population increasingly going global, we see a clear case for Air India to expand its future fleet beyond the firm orders of the 470 aircraft placed last year. These additional 100 Airbus aircraft will help to position Air India on the path to greater growth and contribute to our mission of building Air India into a world-class airline that connects India to every corner of the world.”

Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, said, “Having personally witnessed the formidable growth of the Indian aviation sector in recent months, I am glad to see Air India renew its trust in Airbus with this additional order for both our A320 Family and A350 aircraft. Through this continued partnership, we are committed to supporting the success of Air India's "Vihaan.AI" transformation plan under Tata's vision and leadership.”

With the order for 100 additional aircraft, Air India currently has a total of 344 new aircraft incoming from Airbus, having received six A350s so far. Air India in 2023 had also placed orders for 220 widebody and narrowbody aircraft with Boeing, of which 185 aircraft remain to be delivered.

Air India is the first Indian airline to operate the Airbus A350, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Delivering exceptional fuel-efficiency, passenger comfort, and long-range capabilities, the A350s now offer an all-new Air India flying experience to travellers flying non-stop from Delhi to London and New York.

The A320 Family fleet, powered by CFM LEAP 1-A engines, is a backbone of Air India’s domestic and short-haul operations, delivering world-class flying experiences to millions of the airline’s customers as well as remarkable operational efficiency and flight economics.

PM Modi To Launch 1st Truly Private Make in India Aerospace Assembly Line, Today

• 2026 Will Mark A New Era
• C-295 – 1st Made in India Military Aircraft To Roll Out in 2026 From Vadodara

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, is set to inaugurate India's first private sector final assembly line for military aircraft. This significant event will take place at the Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. (TASL) facility in Vadodara, Gujarat, on October 28, 2024.

Set to be a complete example of Atmsnirbharta, the C-295 Manufacturing plant will be a Powerhouse for jobs with direct employment of 3000+ at various sites, and over 15000 indirect employment, 1 million+ hours of labor effort per aircraft by TASL & suppliers.

Key Highlights:

Aircraft: The facility will produce 40 C-295 military tactical transport aircraft in collaboration with Airbus Spain.

Make in India: This project is a flagship initiative under the Make in India program, marking the first instance of a complete military aircraft being manufactured in India by a private company.

Operational Timeline: The first C-295 aircraft from this facility is expected to be delivered by September 2026, with the final aircraft set to be handed over by August.

Capabilities: The C-295 aircraft can transport up to nine tonnes of cargo or up to 71 soldiers and is suitable for various missions, including maritime surveillance, medical evacuations, and disaster relief.

The C-295 Aircraft

This project is a significant milestone for India's aerospace sector, enhancing the country's defense capabilities and promoting self-reliance in military manufacturing.

From Stick Holding Depot in Prayagraj to Training Centre at Air Force Station, Agra, the project will expand India's aviation ecosystem as besides the Vadodara's new assembly line it will also boost local industries.

Moreover, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be inducting the C-295 aircraft. The IAF has already received six C-295 aircraft from Spain, which were delivered in flyaway condition. The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured in India by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) at the new assembly line in Vadodara 2 The first domestically produced C-295 is expected to roll out in September 2026, with the final aircraft to be delivered by August 2031.

The C-295 aircraft will replace the aging Avro-748 planes and enhance the IAF's tactical transport capabilities.

UpNext, the Airbus Subsidiary, Launches Cryoprop, A Superconductivity-based Tech Demonstrator for Future Hydrogen powered Aircrafts

Airbus has made significant progress in the field of superconductivity for hydrogen-powered aircraft. On Thursday, Airbus UpNext, a subsidiary of Airbus, announced the launch of a new technological demonstrator named Cryoprop. This demonstrator aims to accelerate the development of superconducting technologies for electric propulsion systems in future hydrogen-powered aircraft.

 

Launch of a new technological demonstrator to accelerate the maturation of superconducting technologies for use in electric propulsion systems of a future hydrogen-powered aircraft. | ©Airbus SAS 2024

The Cryoprop demonstrator will integrate a two megawatt-class superconducting electric propulsion system. This system will be cooled by liquid hydrogen through a helium recirculation loop. The development is a collaborative effort by Airbus teams in Toulouse, France, and Ottobrunn, Germany.

This initiative is part of Airbus' ambition to introduce the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. The company has been exploring various configurations and technologies, including hydrogen combustion and hydrogen fuel cells, to achieve this goal.

The successful maturation of these superconducting technologies could lead to significant performance improvements in propulsion systems, resulting in considerable weight and fuel savings. It also represents Airbus' commitment to innovation and its efforts to foster a new ecosystem that will support the introduction of new products in areas such as superconducting cables, motors, cryogenic power electronics, and cooling systems.

Michael Augello, CEO Airbus UpNext, "Our previous demonstrators have shown that superconducting technologies would be a key enabler for the high-power electrification of future hydrogen-powered aircraft. I truly believe that the new demonstrator will lead to performance improvements of the propulsion system, translating into significant weight and fuel saving potential. "

Airbus has been developing superconducting technologies for high-power electric propulsion for several years, culminating in the power-on of an integrated 500 kW cryogenic propulsion system last year.

Electronics company IXYS UK Westcode has been collaborating with Airbus UpNext on the development of a superconducting powertrain for hydrogen-fueled aircraft.

The research and development in this area are part of a broader effort to create more efficient and sustainable aviation technologies. These collaborations are crucial as they combine expertise from different sectors to push the boundaries of what's possible in electric propulsion and superconductivity.

As the industry moves towards a greener future, we can expect more companies to invest in and develop technologies that align with the goal of reducing carbon emissions and enhancing the efficiency of aircraft propulsion systems. Airbus' initiative is likely to inspire further innovation and partnerships in this exciting field of aerospace technology.

L&T Technology Services Opens Simulation CoE for Airbus in Bengaluru

L&T Technology Services (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS) announced the inauguration of the Simulation Centre of Excellence for Airbus, strategically located at the LTTS state-of-the-art campus in Bangalore. This Centre of Excellence is designed to bolster engineering support for Airbus aircraft structural simulation activities across its diverse business units in Europe spanning France, Germany, the UK, and Spain.

Equipped with the5 latest simulation software, hardware, and high-performance computational machinery, the Simulation CoE aims to unify and standardize processes across all Airbus European business units and aircraft programs. The ultimate objective is to streamline efficiency and enhance productivity, facilitating the timely achievement of program milestones.

Initiated approximately 18 months ago with a specialized core team, the Centre of Excellence (CoE) has demonstrated significant growth and development. The strategic plan includes a substantial scaling up of the centre over the next two years. This expansion reflects the deep commitment of LTTS to fostering innovation and excellence in aerospace engineering, highlighting the dedication to advancing the industry through sustained development and expertise.

Speaking on this significant development, Alind Saxena, President - Sales and Executive Director, L&T Technology Services stated, "The establishment of the Simulation CoE for Airbus reflects our deep-seated commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation alongside Airbus. This Centre is not just about technology; it's about creating a standardized, efficient framework that propels Airbus’ industry-leading aircraft into the future Together, we are not just navigating the present landscape but also shaping the future of aviation, ensuring that our collaboration remains a key driver of our success in India and the world."

The establishment of the Simulation CoE for Airbus marks a decade of fruitful collaboration between LTTS and Airbus India, highlighting a shared dedication to innovation and excellence in the global aerospace industry. It serves as a foundation for both companies to continue their dominance in important markets like Europe and India, driving forward with a common process that enhances operational efficiency and productivity.

Airbus Expands Its Very High-Resolution Earth Observation Satellites Constellation

Airbus has launched the Pléiades Neo Next programme, which is a significant expansion of its very high-resolution Earth observation constellation. This initiative will introduce new satellite assets and capabilities, including an enhanced native resolution. The first step in this programme is the development of a new satellite, set to be launched in the coming years.

The Pléiades Neo Next programme is designed to build upon the success of the current Pléiades Neo constellation, which provides services to both government and commercial customers globally. With this expansion, Airbus aims to further improve the quality, performance, and reliability of its geo-Intelligence services and applications.

Airbus is a global leader in aerospace, including the design and manufacture of satellites for Earth observation and other purposes. The company operates the largest Earth observation constellation, which includes the Pléiades Neo, Pléiades, SPOT, DMC Constellation, and Vision-1 optical satellites, as well as the Radar Constellation consisting of TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X, and PAZ.

Pléiades Neo HD15 over The Petit and Grand Palais in Paris. © Airbus DS 2022

The new programme Pléiades Neo Next is fully funded, manufactured, and operated by Airbus Defence and Space. It promises to offer full image capacity for a variety of sectors, including defence and intelligence, agriculture, environment, maritime, disaster response, mapping, location-based services, civil engineering, urban planning, and utilities. Users will have the ability to directly task the Airbus satellites shortly before they pass over the area of interest, with images being swiftly delivered either through Direct Receiving Stations on the ground or via the OneAtlas digital platform.

The collaboration between Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next satellites will ensure a higher revisit rate anywhere on Earth, potentially several times per day, along with the best spatial resolution and geolocation accuracy currently available in the market. The development of Pléiades Neo Next will also see improvements to the ground segment, the Direct Receiving Stations, and the OneAtlas platform, enhancing the capacity for imagery requests and optimizing the time between request, capture, and reception.

This expansion signifies Airbus's commitment to reinforcing its Earth observation capabilities and remaining at the forefront of geospatial technologies. The Airbus fleet, which includes both optical and radar satellite constellations, offers complementary services and applications with various resolutions, all-weather, and day-and-night capabilities. Additionally, Airbus is developing new capabilities based on stratospheric platforms.

Compared to other Earth observation satellites, the Pléiades Neo Next programme aims to provide unprecedented precision, reactivity, and acquisition capacity. It's designed to support a wide range of sectors including defense, intelligence, agriculture, environment, maritime, disaster response, and urban planning, among others. The combination of these features makes it a highly competitive option in the global Earth observation market.

The Pléiades Neo constellation is particularly noteworthy as it is entirely funded, manufactured, owned, and operated by Airbus, providing 30cm resolution images. This high-resolution imagery supports a wide range of applications, from environmental analysis and disaster management to urban planning.

Mahindra Inks A $100 Mn Contact with Airbus Atlantic

Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt Ltd (MASPL) and Airbus Atlantic have entered into a strategic relationship with a multi-year contract. This contract, valued at approximately $100 million, involves MASPL manufacturing and delivering nearly 2,300 varieties of metallic components and small assemblies for the entire Airbus commercial aircraft family, including the A320 family. This deal strengthens the existing partnership between MASPL and Airbus, which has been in place since 2015.

The contract is a testament to MASPL's capabilities and commitment to industrial maturity, digitalization, performance, and sustainability. It also highlights Airbus Atlantic's confidence in MASPL's robustness, expertise, and high-end technology capabilities, which are crucial for Airbus's supply base and production ramp-up across all programs.

Last month, Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies inked a contract with Airbus to manufacture and supply the main passenger doors, service doors, cargo doors and over-wing emergency exit doors for the A220 —the passenger aircraft of Airbus.

Mahindra Aerostructures represents the Mahindra Group’s interests in aerospace manufacturing. It operates a 250,000 ft² (25,000 m²) plant near Bangalore, India, which is equipped with comprehensive capabilities to produce sheet metal and machined parts, welding, finishing and assembly. The business holds AS9100D and 6 NADCAP certifications alongside numerous customer accreditations and is a supplier to many reputed OEMs and Tiers around the world.

Airbus Atlantic is a significant subsidiary of Airbus, established on January 1, 2022. It's a global leader in the aerostructures field, positioned as the world's second-largest aerostructures company and the top producer of pilot seats. The company also ranks among the top three for Business Class and First Class passenger seats, marketed under the STELIA Aerospace brand.

MASPL has been a direct supplier to Airbus Group since 2015, and partners with Airbus on numerous initiatives. It has been ranked as a D2P “Challenger” for three years in the Sheet Metal Parts domain, as well as level “A” in the Airbus Industrial Process Capability Assessment (IPCA+) and has won “Best Performer” award in the 2023 Airbus Supplier Quality Improvement Program (SQIP) awards.

In January this year, MASPL and Airbus Aerostructures GmbH had signed a contract wherein MASPL would supply close to 5000 varieties of metallic components to Airbus in Germany from its manufacturing base in India.

With an estimated business volume of around 3.5 billion euros, Airbus Atlantic operates with a workforce of 13,000 employees across five countries and three continents. The company's creation was part of a transformation project aimed at increasing competitiveness, enhancing production flows, modernizing industrial tools, and preparing for low-carbon aviation.

The contract between Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt Ltd (MASPL) and Airbus Atlantic aligns with the Indian government's 'Make in India' initiative, which aims to transform India into a global manufacturing hub. By manufacturing components for Airbus, MASPL will contribute to this vision and showcase India's manufacturing capabilities on an international stage.

Besides attracting foreign direct investment and encourage technology transfer, this deal also likely to contribute to economic growth by creating jobs and fostering skill development in the aerospace sector

This contract will help in developing a robust supply chain ecosystem in India. It will encourage other global aerospace companies to consider India as a potential location for sourcing components.

The successful execution of this contract could enhance India's reputation in the global aerospace market, potentially leading to more contracts and partnerships with other international aerospace firms. The partnership with Airbus Atlantic will necessitate adherence to international standards, which could lead to technological advancements and improvements in quality standards within the Indian aerospace industry.

Overall, the contract is expected to have a positive ripple effect across the Indian aerospace industry, enhancing its capabilities, competitiveness, and global presence.

Indian Regulator Approves Airbus to Produce Detailed Parts and Sub-Assemblies of the C295 Aircraft in the Country

India Airbus C295 programme receives approval from Indian regulator to produce detailed parts and assemblies in India

Marking a milestone in the ‘Make in India’ C295 programme, the Airbus Defence and Space Quality Management System (QMS) for the C295 aircraft has received approval from the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), the Indian regulatory authority, to produce detailed parts and sub-assemblies in India.

Airbus Defence and Space is the division of Airbus responsible for the development and manufacturing of the corporation's defense and space products and providing related services.

As per the approval, the certificate for which was formally handed over on February 12, 2024, Airbus Defence and Space is working with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) to produce detailed parts and sub-assemblies at various locations in India. The certificate of approval was presented by Sanjay Chawla, Director General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance, to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, and Masood Hussainy, Head, Aerostructures and Aeroengines, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, at the C295 Main Components Assembly facility in Hyderabad. This is a significant step of a comprehensive quality assurance roadmap agreed between Airbus Defence and Space and DGAQA for the C295 ‘Make in India’ programme, in close collaboration with TASL.

"This certification demonstrates the continuing trust and confidence of DGAQA in Airbus quality standards. All detailed parts for the C295 will be manufactured in India under exacting Airbus quality standards. We continue to work in strong partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited to apply a robust and comprehensive quality framework for successful aircraft manufacturing in India for the C295 ‘Make in India’ programme under the policy of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” said Jorge Tamarit Degenhardt, VP - Head of C295 India Programme, Airbus Defence and Space.

India formalised the acquisition of 56 Airbus C295 aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force (IAF) legacy AVRO fleet, in September 2021. Under the contractual agreement, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain. The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.

The first C295 aircraft was delivered to the Indian Air Force in September 2023. This certification is part of this programme, which involves the full development of a complete industrial ecosystem: from the production of detailed parts to assembly, test, delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft.

Last week, Indian company Dynamatic Technologies has announced that it secured a new contract with Airbus to manufacture and supply the main passenger doors, service doors, cargo doors and over-wing emergency exit doors for the A220, the passenger aircraft of Airbus. 

Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies to Build Doors for Airbus’ A220 Aircrafts

Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies has announced that it secured a new contract with Airbus to manufacture and supply the main passenger doors, service doors, cargo doors and over-wing emergency exit doors for the A220, the passenger aircraft of Airbus. Aircraft doors are critical structures, incorporating advanced technologies to meet the stringent requirements for safety and overall efficiency.

This contract not only marks a significant milestone, but also showcases the success of the Make in India initiative. Over the past decade, Airbus and Dynamatic have collaborated to develop a fully qualified ecosystem of over 100 aerospace companies ranging from MSME to Large scale organizations. This contract will fully leverage the strength of the Indian aerospace ecosystem to deeply industrialize airplane doors for the global aviation industry.

Dynamatic intends to work with large supplier-partners like Mahindra Aerostructure, Motherson Aerospace, Aequs, Wipro Aerospace and Ferra Aerospace. By utilizing India’s cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing facilities, Dynamatic will ensure the doors meet the highest quality standards demanded by Airbus.

To recall, in late last month Airbus announced its partnership with Tata Group to produce H125 Helicopter, the only to have landed on Mt. Everest.

For the last 17 years, Dynamatic Technologies has been supplying flight critical Flap-Track-Beam Assemblies to Airbus. 

Dynamatic produces Flap-Track-Beam Assemblies on a global single source basis directly for the A330 aircraft and indirectly for the A320 Family aircraft, with a track record of perfect quality and on-time delivery making Dynamatic a center of excellence for this critical product for Airbus.

“This export award is amongst the largest ever placed on an Indian manufacturer by any Global Aviation OEM, and is a strong testament to Make-In-India. We are delighted to have been chosen by Airbus to produce the doors for the A220, which is the most advanced and efficient aircraft in its class. Our partnership with Airbus reinforces our position as aglobally trusted supplier of aerospace components. This time around, we have an added advantage of a mature and capable ecosystem that has developed in India and we plan to work collaboratively with our local manufacturing partners to deliver high quality and innovation – Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, " said Mr. Udayant Malhoutra, CEO and Managing Director of Dynamatic Technologies.

In September 2021, Dynamatic awarded a contract for manufacturing Aerostructure Assemblies for Boeing's F-15EX Eagle II Fighter Aircraft.

Incorporated in 1973, Dynamatic started making body parts for Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Lakshya jets in 2000s. It then began supplying flap track beams to Airbus for its A320 family of aircraft and the wide-body 330 aircraft. This followed part contracts with Boeing for Boeing CH-47 Chinook and Bell Textron for Bell 407 helicopters.

The company has facilities located in India (Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Nasik), United Kingdom (Swindon, Bristol) and Germany (Schwarzenberg).

With three design laboratories in India and Europe, Dynamatic is also a leading private R&D Organisation.

Airbus Now the Sole Owner of Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS), A JV Founded in 2016

This Monday, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc. announced completion of a deal with Eutelsat OneWeb to purchase its 50% share of the Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS) joint venture, which was established in 2016.

With this announcement, Indian multinational conglomerate, Bharti, and Japan's Softbank, who were earlier the co-owners in OneWeb, are no longer the owners in the satellite constellation company.

Till year 2021, India's Bharti Global along with France-based satellite service provider Eutelsat and the UK Government were the OneWeb’s largest shareholders, while Japan's SoftBank retained an equity holding of 12%. Last year in September, Eutelsat merged with OneWeb and created a new "Eutelsat Group" company, with subsidiaries "Eutelsat" and "Eutelsat OneWeb".

With completion of this 50% shares purchase, Airbus is now the sole owner of Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS) and the satellite manufacturing facility in Merritt Island, Florida.

The new structure is expected to provide maximum efficiency and increased competitiveness for commercial, institutional and national security space customers.

“This agreement furthers our position as a market leader in the small satellite constellation business, building on our successful partnership with OneWeb,” said Robert Geckle, Chairman and CEO, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc. “We will continue mass producing small satellites for our customers and are excited for what the f uture holds for us on Florida’s Space Coast as we move forward,” he added.

Airbus U.S. Space & Defense recently retooled the Merritt Island factory to accomodate the Arrow450 production line and is starting an expansion project to meet increased demand for small satellites from commercial and government customers deepening the company’s presence in Florida.

The Airbus OneWeb Satellites joint venture, established in 2016, built more than 600 satellites at the rate of two per day for the OneWeb first generation constellation, currently operating on orbit.

A couple of months back, OneWeb India received the necessary authorisations from IN-SPACe to launch Eutelsat OneWeb's commercial satellite broadband services in India.

Airbus and Tata Group To Produce H125 Helicopter, the Only to Have Landed on Mt. Everest

On this year's Republic Day of India French President Emmanuel Macron visited India as Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations. During his this visit, Airbus Helicopters, (formerly Eurocopter Group) the helicopter manufacturing division of Airbus, announced that it is partnering with the Tata Group to establish a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for helicopters in India.

The FAL, which will be India’s first helicopter Final Assembly Line in the private sector, will produce Airbus’ best-selling H125 helicopter from its civil range for India and will even export to few of India’s neighbouring countries.

The H125-series helicopters (previously designated the AS350 B3e) is a single-engine helicopters for performance, versatility, low maintenance, and low acquisition costs. It is a member of Airbus’ Ecureuil family, which has accumulated 38 million flight hours worldwide.

Airbus claims that the H125-series helicopters have made number of world records. In 2005, the H125 set the world record for the highest-altitude landing and takeoff, performed on Mount Everest at 8,848 metres (29,029 feet). And in May 2013, the AS350 B3 (H125) performed the world's highest long-line rescue operation on Lhotse, the world's 4th-highest mountain, located in the Himalayas at 7,800 metres (25,590 feet).

H125 helicopter (Image - Stephane KERVELLA) 

H125 helicopter (Image - Stephane KERVELLA) 

The H125 series helicopters can operate in high-and-hot and extreme environments and can be easily reconfigured for various missions, including aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance, passenger transport, and many others.

Headquartered in Marignane, France, Airbus Helicopters will set up the helicopter manufacturing facility in India in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a subsidiary of Tata Group.

H125 helicopter (Image - Stephane KERVELLA) 

 
To recall, TASL has also inked a contract with Airbus rival firm Boeing recently, to manufacture and supply advanced composite assemblies for Boeing 737 MAX, 777X, and 787 Dreamliner. Tata's TASL will manufacture these components from its manufacturing facilities located in Bengaluru and Nagpur.

The FAL in India will undertake the integration of the major component assemblies, avionics and mission systems, installation of electrical harnesses, hydraulic circuits, flight controls, dynamic components, fuel system and the engine.

The proposed H125 helicopter manufacturing facility will be the second FAL to be established in India by Airbus, leveraging Tata Group's TASL’s capabilities in aerospace and defence. The two companies are already building the C295 military transport aircraft FAL in Vadodara, Gujarat.

N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said, “The Tata Group is delighted to set up India’s first helicopter assembly facility in the private sector. This facility will have the final assembly line in partnership with Airbus for the world’s bestselling Airbus H125 single engine helicopter for the Indian as well as export markets.”

Undisputed in its class, the H125 produced in India will catalyse the use of helicopters in the country. This multi-mission workhorse will revolutionise passenger and goods transportation and will also be used for segments such as emergency medical services (HEMS), disaster management, law enforcement, tourism and aerial work missions. Providing last mile connectivity to remote areas, the H125 will significantly contribute to the Government of India’s regional connectivity scheme – Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) that will further promote the tourism sector in the country.

HCL Signs 5-Year Digital Workplace Services Agreement with Airbus

HCL Technologies (HCL), a leading global technology company, today announced it has signed a five-year Digital Workplace Services Agreement with Airbus. HCL will establish a modernized digital workplace to enhance the user experience and service quality for the majority of Airbus employees globally. HCL was selected as Airbus’ preferred partner as it was able to offer the broadest combination of standard functionality and innovation capabilities to generate greater efficiency and improved time to market. HCL’s Fluid Workplace Model will enable Airbus to deploy the latest digital technologies and will rapidly simplify Airbus’ existing IT processes and optimization of delivery costs, using unique end-to-end management services to cover the information and operational technology landscape. 

“We’re delighted to be working with Airbus as a key strategic partner in its digital workplace transformation journey. The combination of HCL’s scale transformational expertise and management capabilities of IT and OT landscape will enable Airbus to remain at the forefront of innovation and deliver leading-edge user experiences,” said Sandeep Saxena, Executive Vice President (UK&I, France & Benelux), HCL Technologies. 

About HCL Technologies 

HCL Technologies (HCL) empowers global enterprises with technology for the next decade, today. HCL’s Mode 1-2-3 strategy, based on its deep-domain industry expertise, client-centricity and entrepreneurial culture of Ideapreneurship™, enables businesses to transform into next-gen enterprises. 

HCL offers its services and products through three business units: IT and Business Services (ITBS), Engineering and R&D Services (ERS) and Products & Platforms (P&P). ITBS enables global enterprises to transform their businesses through offerings in the areas of applications, infrastructure, digital process operations and next generation digital transformation solutions. ERS offers engineering services and solutions in all aspects of product development and platform engineering. P&P provides modernized software products to global clients for their technology and industry specific requirements. Through its cutting-edge co-innovation labs, global delivery capabilities and broad global network, HCL delivers holistic services in various industry verticals, categorized as Financial Services, Manufacturing, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, Life Sciences and Healthcare, and Public Services. 

As a leading global technology company, HCL takes pride in its diversity, social responsibility, sustainability, and education initiatives. For the 12 months ended December 31, 2020 HCL had consolidated revenue of US$ 10.02 billion. Its 159,682 Ideapreneurs operate out of 50 countries. 

For more information, visit www.hcltech.com.

L&T Technology Services wins Avionics contract from Airbus

L&T Technology Services (NSE: LTTS), a leading global pure-play engineering services company, announced that it has been selected by Airbus India to manage their Avionics S/W Development, V&V (Validation & Verification)  and Data Analytics. The win has been a direct result of LTTS’ years of expertise in the aviation space and the company’s timely investment in cutting-edge technologies.

LTTS’ distinct advantage in the aerospace landscape includes ITAR (International Traffic in Arms) Compliance & CEMILAC (The Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification) Certified State-of-art facilities, strong global customer base, robust lab & testing infrastructure and strategic alliances with Fortune 500 companies. 

Abhishek Sinha, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Board at L&T Technology Services commented, “The new-age business opportunities in aviation sector call for a transformative approach including fresh ideas, elaborate evaluation of best-fit technology solution and capability to accelerate business growth through innovation. We are pleased that Airbus India has chosen LTTS to deliver on all these aspects. We look forward to co-developing innovations in the aviation space and ushering in newer benchmarks of industry excellence.” 

L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS) is a listed subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited focused on Engineering and R&D (ER&D) services. We offer consultancy, design, development and testing services across the product and process development life cycle. Our customer base includes 69 Fortune 500 companies and 51 of the world’s top ER&D companies, across industrial products, medical devices, transportation, telecom & hi-tech, and the process industries. Headquartered in India, we have over 16,700 employees spread across 17 global design centers, 28 global sales offices and 49 innovation labs as of September 30, 2019.

Kerala Ties with Airbus for Startup Accelerator in Thiruvananthapuram

Soon within few days after announcing the launch of its latest cohort of its 4th Bizlab accelerator batch, Airbus Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kerala state government for setting up BizLab in Thiruvananthapuram city of Kerala.

Under the MoU, an Innovation Centre will be set up here which will be the nodal body for planning and executing all the activities to help startups in the state. The MoU was inked between Siddharth Balachandran, Airbus Bizlab India and Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Aerospace Innovation Centre in #Kerala at Trivandrum - A significant step towards reality. Kerala Government signs a MoU with Airbus BizLab, a global aerospace accelerator part of the Airbus group. @CMOKerala @airbusbizlab @Gutbruno @SidRdy @Csanth @ShashiTharoor @Airbus pic.twitter.com/LczeQIMSc4

— Kerala Startup Mission (@startup_mission) November 17, 2018

With this, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala will second Bizlab center in India after Bengaluru and fifth globally. Airbus Bizlab already has four startup accelerator sites globally -- Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany), Bangalore (India) and Madrid (Spain).

"We are confident that this partnership with Airbus Bizlab will help the industrial ecosystem of Kerala. It will up-skill the local youth and enhance employability," said Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan.

Besides accelerating startpus in aerospace field, the proposed Airbus BizLab site in Thiruvananthapuram will also provide support and mentoring for startups in Kerala and conduct regular workshops and discussions with experts from the aerospace and defence sectors.

Additionally, Airbus will also identify opportunities for Kerala to adapt aerospace technologies across sectors and bring all the relevant Airbus teams and startups to demonstrate technologies.

This year, KSUM, the nodal agency for entrepreneurship & startup activities in Kerala, has partnered with several global business houses in varied industries. in June this year Kerala partnered with aotomobile major Nissan, which already set up its first digital innovation hub in India in Technocity, Thiruvananthapuram. The Nissan Hub is for research and development in electric and autonomous vehicles.

Most recently, KSUM has invited request for proposal (RFP) from SEBI-accredited alternative investment funds (AIFs) under its ‘Fund-of-Fund’ (FoF) scheme to invest in the startups from Kerala and thus meet the fund requirements of fledgling technology enterprises.

Also, to incubate and promote startups in the satellite and space technology sector, a space tech park is also coming up in Thiruvananthapuram and for this Kerala has already tied up with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in March this year. The one of its kind Space Park would likely to be up and running by June next year. An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the two will be signed soon.

Source - The Hindu

[Top Featured Image - Bizlab@Twitter]

Meet the 6 New Indian Startups Selected for 4th Airbus Accelerator Programme 'BizLab'

Airbus has selected twenty-four new startups to join its BizLab for the launch of the fourth accelerator programme and out of this 24 startups, 6 are from India.

The selected startups will join a unique consolidated global network within the four sites of BizLab -- Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany), Bangalore (India) and Madrid (Spain). The six Indian startups selected will join the BizLab's Bangalore Campus.

During the six-month acceleration programme, the selected startups will receive support from an international team of experts from various fields and have access to dedicated coaching staff, networking opportunities and co-working spaces. Hailing from ten countries around the world, the new startups were selected out of 495 applications from 64 countries. One of the main criteria used in the selection process were the synergies between the startup projects and Airbus' innovation strategy.

[caption id="attachment_127271" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Founders of Indian Startups selected for Airbus BizLabs 4th Season[/caption]

The 6 Indian startups selected in the BizLab's Bangalore campus are as follows:

Flutura:

Founders - Krishnan Raman, Derick Jose and Srikanth Muralidhara

Data solutions for process deviations and unplanned downtime for heavy machinery.

Flutura is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Solutions company focused on improving two core business objectives of "Asset Uptime"​ and "Operational Efficiency"​. Its flagship product 'Cerebra' is an AI Platform tuned for Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) that focuses on machine to machine and big data analytics serving clients from manufacturing, energy and engineering industries. Its main offices are located in Houston, Palo Alto, and Bengaluru, India.

Trapyz:

Founders - Anil Kumar and Girish Vishwanath

Audience insights platform for mapping real world customer journeys.

Bangalore-based Trapyz is a SaaS-based and AI driven platform that provides offline consumer insights to brands & digital marketers to map real-world journeys without infringing on consumer privacy. It provides last-mile indoor location intelligence on a 'data-as-a-service' model that can be leveraged to build various location-based services.

Gnani:

Founders - Ganesh Gopalan and Ananth Nagaraj

Custom AI models for enterprise applications, with a focus on speech recognition and NLP.

Based on AI and machine learning technologies, Gnani aims to empower businesses with the power of voice. It develops voice assistants and speech analytics products for multiple languages including Indic languages. It has ASRs (Automatic Speech Recognition) for 6 languages in India - English, Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

Scapic:

Founders - Ajay Ponna Venkatesh and Sai Krishna V K

AR/VR platform for customer experience.

Built entirely on the cloud, Scapic is an online platform with a drag-and-drop editor that makes it trivially simple to build immersive experiences from scratch in minutes and allowing people to build Virtual/Augmented/ Mixed Reality content easily. The startup had raised seed funding of $500,000 from Axilor Ventures and others, in January this year.

Agnikul Cosmos:

Designs, builds, tests and launches orbital launch systems.

Founder - Srinath Ravichandran

Incubated at prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-Madras), Chennai-based AgniKul Cosmos in the process of developing its own small launch vehicles called 'Agnibaan', which is an orbital class nano-satellite launch vehicle that will be able to carry up to 100kg on a 700km Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Founded in 2017, AngiKul is currently based out of the National Centre of Combustion R&D (NCCRD) in IIT-Madras.

Traxof:

Founder - Varun Mishra

Custom NLP solution for improved human-computer interaction.

Traxof Technologies is building cloud and mobile based products in the domain of Customized Process Automation using AI and NLP (Natural Language Processing) with an aim to improve human-computer interaction. It is building a platform which can be used to create, start and monitor customized workflows, using an easy-to-use drag-n-drop interface.

Besides above startups from India, UAE-based Hey Flyer will also be joining the Bangalore campus of Airbus BizLabs. Hey Flyer is a platform that consolidates airport information for travellers.

Via ~ Airbus/Press Release

Two Indian Startups Signs Contract With Airbus For 'Make in India' Push

Two Indian startups -- Neewee and EFLIGHT -- accelerated at Airbus Bizlab India, have signed their first contracts with aviation giant Airbus and its subsidiary NAVBLUE to bring to life their unique innovative ideas in aerospace that are in line with the Indian government's 'Make in India' and 'Startup India' initiatives.

Neewee and EFLIGHT, both based out of Bengaluru, were part of five start-ups chosen a year ago from the second season of the Airbus Bizlab technology acceleration programme that attracted 137 applications from nine countries.

Bruno Gutierres, Head of Airbus BizLab, said in a media statement, “Finding these startups that understand the digital needs of Airbus has been a real pleasure in the second season of the accelerator programme.”

Neewee's solution, called procuSense, will enhance certainty to manufacturing supply chain and procurement operations at Airbus, using advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

EFLIGHT's trip support solution will offer a comprehensive suite of services that allows business jet pilots to optimise plans for fuel, time, route and weather.

The start-up has also signed an exclusive partnership with an Airbus subsidiary to jointly address some opportunities in India.

"We are delighted to announce the recent contracts signed by Neewee and EFLIGHT. These partnerships stand as an example of our commitment towards engaging with the entrepreneurial community and creating business opportunities for them, especially with Airbus," said Bruno.

Airbus BizLab Leader - India, Siddharth Balachandran said, "Both Neewee and EFLIGHT are unique solutions that have the potential to provide significant and long-term benefits to not only Airbus but other big and small businesses on a global scale. The roadmap for the future includes implementing Neewee's analytics solution in other Airbus functions globally."

Bizlab is a part of Airbus' innovative strategy to bring together start-ups and Airbus intrapreneurs. Airbus’s global business accelerator in Bengaluru set up in 2015, is the its first such facility outside Europe and only the third after Toulouse, France, home to the company’s headquarters, and Hamburg, Germany, where it has a jumbo factory.

Since 2015, Airbus made its presence felt in India as besides launching Bizlab, it also organized a global student competition called Fly Your Ideas and announced an Indian team called Team Multifun as winner for their innovation of world’s first airplane that is capable of generating its own power by making use of the vibration action of its wings.

Last year, we also reported that early-stage investment arm of Airbus, Airbus Ventures is in process of setting up an independent investment arm in India. With this investment arm, the firm will infuse money in the aerospace and non-aerospace startups in India such as autonomous vehicles, electric energy, IoT and cyber security etc.