Airbus to set up R&D Centre of Excellence in Gujarat, boosting India’s aerospace innovation ecosystem
New Delhi
Aerospace major Airbus announced plans to set up a Research and Development (R&D) Centre of Excellence at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Gujarat, underlining its commitment to India’s innovation ecosystem. The announcement came after a meeting between Airbus India Managing Director Jurgen Westermeier and Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Vaishnaw said he was glad to learn that Airbus is sourcing more than $1 billion worth of components annually from over 100 Indian suppliers. He added that with India’s growing design and technology capabilities, the new centre will strengthen research collaborations in critical areas.
Airbus already operates a major Digital Centre in Bengaluru, its second-largest worldwide after Toulouse, France. Established in 2018, the hub has expanded with a Global Capability Centre supporting Airbus divisions globally. The company employs more than 3,600 people in India, including over 1,500 IT professionals, driving digital transformation across engineering, cybersecurity, AI, and big data.
The aircraft maker said its partnerships with Indian institutes on R&D projects in sustainability, innovation, and training services underline its commitment to the local ecosystem. India serves as a strategic resource hub, providing world-class talent and research that power the aerospace sector, the company noted.
In August, Airbus Helicopters awarded Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt Ltd. (MASPL) the contract to manufacture the main fuselage of its H125 helicopter, strengthening collaboration with Indian industry under the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Additionally, Tata-owned Air India placed an order for 100 Airbus aircraft in December 2024, comprising 10 wide-body A350s and 90 narrow-body A320 Family planes.
