Page 38 - AAA MAY - JUNE 2015 Online Magazine

COLUMN PULAk SEN

Destination India

By Pulak Sen

INDIA IS IN THE MIDST OF DEVELOPING been giving IT and design support to the can be fatal in aerospace. As a result,
a growing and increasingly competent OEMs for some time now. There are a constant and stringent quality assurance
aerospace ecosystem, which over the few aerospace/defence manufacturing is another critical requirement of the
next decade, has the potential to become clusters being formed in Karnataka, aerospace industry. Manufacturers
a significant part of the global aerospace Gujarat, etc that will further drive must meet strict quality standards to
supply chain. As per informed estimates, market growth. guarantee that parts are of high quality
India offers cost advantages of between However, a number of serious material for safety and durability, and
15 to 25 percent in manufacturing, challenges are faced by the Indian made to precise specifications. Currently
depending on the type of components. aerospace industry today. Getting India imports most of the raw material
Indian industry today has the certification for processes and parts is a required for manufacturing. There is
technological capabilities to undertake challenge for India-based suppliers and an urgent need for the industry to take
complex manufacturing required for the delays here also act as a deterrent a long-term strategic view and develop
the sector – indeed there has been a for Original Equipment Manufacturers capabilities in new material technologies
remarkable growth of this sector, with a (OEMs) looking to outsource some of and for the development of composites.
large number of private players entering their work to India. The certification The most important problem with the
the sector. process is both complex and expensive Indian aerospace industry is that there
The prime requirement to develop a and the majority of Indian companies is no proper mapping of the indigenous
robust aerospace ecosystem - factors so far have been restricted mainly to capabilities and understanding the lack
like the supply and quality of engineers, remaining as Tier III suppliers to the thereof. There is also a need for a nodal
the supply and cost of blue collar industry with a focus on low-tech design agency to monitor, co-ordinate and assist
workforce, the depth of the supply and engineering services. If the industry Indian Small and Medium Enterprises
chain and the potential to reach critical is to grow, the quality and robustness of (SMEs) to shape their capabilities to meet
mass are important. With over 380 the certification organisations - Center the international standards and be an
universities, 11,200 colleges and 1,500 for Military Airworthiness & Certification integral part of the global supply chain.
research institutions, India has the (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of A welcome change in the Indian
second largest pool of scientists and Civil Aviation (DGCA) - also need to be aerospace environment is the increasing
engineers in the world. Every year, over strengthened. The certification process amount of cooperation for civil-
2.5 million graduates are added to the is both complex and expensive and military MRO. All military MRO work
workforce, including 300,000 engineers the Government needs to step in with until recently was undertaken by the
and 150,000 Information Technology (IT) schemes to create awareness among respective defence services and state
professionals. Noteworthy to mention SMEs and also part finance the process. owned enterprises. However, the trend
here, GE’s largest R&D center outside of The aerospace manufacturing is a has changed and military MRO work
the USA; the John F. Welch Technology high technology and capital intensive is now being out-sourced to private
Centre (JFWTC), is the GE Global industry. Its value chain is characterized players. Indian MROs like Air Works
Research and Technology Development by a long project life cycle spanning R&D, India, Max MRO, Taneja Aerospace
site located at Whitefield in Bangalore. engineering design, manufacturing, etc. are now carrying out work for the
Founded by former CEO of GE, John F. assembly, maintenance, repair and military. With continued growth, in the
Welch in September 2000, more than overhaul. Intensive technology and coming years, India’s aerospace industry
4,000 engineers and scientists are safety requirements require significant has high potential to evolve as a reliable
working at the facility today. Several investments in R&D and quality supply chain partner to the international
Indian manufacturing companies such control. Everything that goes into aerospace industry. .
as the Tata Group, Reliance Industries, making an airplane, from the screws
L&T, Mahindra and Mahindra, Aequs, to the engine components, has to meet
etc have now started manufacturing stringent quality controls for safety.
for international OEMs, IT companies Any compromise on quality, which in (Pulak Sen is Founder Secretary
such as Infosys, Rolta India, etc have other industries may be inconvenient, General, MRO Association of India)
38 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MAY / JUNE 2015 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM