Aerospace major Airbus will set up a Research and Development (R&D) Centre of Excellence at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Gujarat. The announcement was made by Airbus India Managing Director Jurgen Westermeier after his meeting with Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.Airbus said it sources over $1 billion worth of components annually from more than 100 Indian suppliers. Vaishnaw noted that India’s strong design capabilities have encouraged the company to expand its innovation presence.
The aircraft maker already operates a Digital Centre in Bengaluru, described as the backbone of its digital transformation. It is Airbus’s second-largest digital hub after Toulouse, France. In 2018, Airbus also set up a Global Capability Centre in India to support all divisions worldwide.
The company employs more than 3,600 people across sites in India, including 1,500 IT professionals. Airbus is also collaborating with Indian institutes on projects in sustainability, engineering, AI, cybersecurity, and big data.
Airbus said India serves as a strategic hub for sourcing, engineering, and innovation. Recently, Airbus Helicopters awarded a contract to Mahindra Aerostructures to build fuselages for the H125 helicopter, further boosting ‘Make in India.’
