Union Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu inaugurated Airbus’ first fully owned headquarters and training centre in Asia, located near New Delhi International Airport. The ceremony was attended by Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, and Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus in India and South Asia.
The new centre will serve as the hub for Airbus’ operations in India, encompassing all three of its business units: commercial aircraft, helicopters, and defence and space. This strategic move brings Airbus closer to its customers in India and the wider South Asia region. This state-of-the-art facility is expected to train up to 800 pilots and 200 technicians each year.
During the inauguration, Minister Naidu emphasized India’s ambition to design and manufacture aircraft locally, highlighting the crucial role global aerospace companies like Airbus should play in this transformation. He noted the urgent need for the aviation industry to prepare for the anticipated demand for skilled manpower, as Indian aviation continues to grow rapidly. According to the minister, India is projected to have around 8,000 aircraft within the next 20 years, compared to the current fleet of approximately 800 planes, which includes both scheduled and non-scheduled operators.
“We want to manufacture aircraft in India that can meet the civil travel needs of the country. Airbus has a significant role to play in this vision,” Naidu stated. He acknowledged Airbus’s ongoing efforts to expand its manufacturing footprint in India, particularly in component production. “We aim to design, manufacture, and maintain aircraft locally. This represents a significant shift in mindset,” he added.
Remi Maillard, in his remarks, referred to the inauguration of the new headquarters as a milestone in Airbus’ ambitious vision for India. While Airbus has established entities for manufacturing military transport planes and civil helicopters in India, there are currently no plans to set up a facility for manufacturing civilian aircraft.
India has emerged as one of the largest markets for both Airbus and Boeing, with major airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa Air collectively placing more than 1,500 orders in the past two years. The new headquarters marks a pivotal moment in Airbus’ commitment to enhancing its presence and operations in the Indian aviation sector.
