European aircraft manufacturer Airbus on Friday inaugurated a new technology centre in Bengaluru, marking a significant expansion of its operations in India and aerospace ecosystem and forming a major base for its ‘Make in India’ strategy.
The new ‘Airbus India Technology Centre’ was inaugurated by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and the state’s Minister for Industries and Infrastructure M B Patil. Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu addressed the event virtually. Catherine Jestin, Executive vice-president (digital) at Airbus, and Jurgen Westermeier, president and MD of Airbus in India and South Asia, were also present.
According to officials, spread across about 880,000 sq ft, the facility has the capacity to house around 5,000 employees and will function as a key hub for engineering, digital transformation, customer services and procurement. The centre brings together several of Airbus’ critical operations under one roof, forming a major base for its ‘Make in India’ strategy.
Westermeier said the inauguration represented a major step in the company’s long-term expansion in India and will support the next phase of growth. He said the centre would help strengthen existing technological capabilities, expand innovation ecosystems and support customer services and procurement activities linked to Airbus’ global operations.
Airbus has been associated with the Indian aviation sector for more than six decades. Over the past two decades, its engineering presence in Bengaluru has evolved from a small specialised unit into a large and diversified technology hub.
The company said the Bengaluru campus was its largest engineering and digital centre outside Europe and played an important role in the life cycle of Airbus aircraft programmes. Engineers and digital specialists based in India contribute to maintaining and optimising Airbus’ commercial aircraft and helicopter fleets worldwide.
The facility will also support research and development in emerging technologies such as next-generation aircraft systems, cyber security, robotics and artificial intelligence, further deepening India’s role in Airbus’ global value chain.
