Boeing, a big US aerospace company, said on Tuesday that at the upcoming Aero India, it will show how it is working to improve local services, investments, and partnerships to help India reach its ambitious goal of becoming self-sufficient in defence manufacturing. From February 13 to 17, the 14th “Aero India” show, which is known as Asia’s largest aerospace show, will be held in Bengaluru.
Boeing said that a key strategic goal for it in India is to strengthen and use local talent and its growing network of more than 300 supplier partners.
Salil Gupte, president of Boeing India, said, “The Indian aerospace and defence industry is ready to grow, and our proven portfolio of products and services gives us a lot of chances to do so.”
“Boeing is committed to supporting and enabling this progress with a vision to bring the best of Boeing to India and the best of India to the world,” he said. The company says that Boeing’s displays at Aero India will be based on the theme “The Runway to a Billion Opportunities,” which will focus on partnerships and investments in India.
There will also be advanced products on display, such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the P-8I, the CH-47 Chinook, the 737, the 787 Dreamliner, and the 777X.
The Indian Navy wants 26 deck-based jets for the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Rafale M from Dassault Aviation are both in the running.
The Indian military uses a lot of military equipment made by Boeing. This includes 11 C-17 heavy-lift transport planes, 22 AH-64 Apache helicopters (with six more on order), 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters, and 12 P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare planes.
India also has two planes for the Head of State and three planes for VVIPs. India’s top commercial airlines also use more than 150 Boeing planes, including the 737, 737 MAX, 757, 777, and 787 Dreamliner, which are all newer models.
Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), which is a partnership between Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, just sent the first fuselage for six AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to the Indian Army from its state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad.
More than 190 fuselages have been made by TBAL and sent to Boeing’s Apache final assembly plant in Mesa, Arizona.
Boeing said that visitors will be able to try out the AH-64 Apache simulator and learn more about the combat helicopter’s capabilities and wide range of missions.
It said that the company will meet with customers and industry partners to talk about India’s future aviation, defence, and security needs, with a focus on making things in India, using engineering and research talent, and making local partnerships stronger.
Through the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) programme, Boeing said it is expanding its support for Indian customers by creating an ecosystem of comprehensive support packages and local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities with partners.
Boeing said that all of this is part of its commitment to Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
