In light of supply chain constraints, the US-based GE Aerospace plans to expand the network of sourcing partners in India to feed its global commercial aviation factories.
Speaking with businessline, Vikram Rai, CEO, South Asia, GE Aerospace, said that the aerospace major has its own aeroengine supply chain in India comprising of medium and small business suppliers (MSMEs).
“There are 13 Indian companies that supply aero-engine parts to our global commercial aviation factories and hundreds of suppliers to our Pune factory,” he said.
In 2022, GE Aerospace had entered into a multi-year contract extension with Tata Advanced Systems. The deal worth $1 billion requires TASL to produce and supply several commercial aircraft engine components.
The aerospace major has been manufacturing in India since 2015 via its factory in Pune.
“This factory produces components for engines like the GE90, GEnx, GE9X, and the LEAP engines by CFM, which is a GE Aerospace and Safran joint venture,” he said.
“Together with our local engineering teams, we are committed to advancing next-generation aviation technologies and augmenting India’s position in the global aerospace supply chain.”
Furthermore, in April 2024, the aerospace major allocated over ₹240 crore ($30 million) to enhance its Pune-based ‘Multi-Modal Facility’ (MMF), which is a critical hub for commercial engine manufacturing.
According to Rai, the investment will go towards new machines, inspection equipment, building upgrades, new test cells and safety enhancements,” he said.
Looking ahead, GE Aerospace, he said is evaluating opportunities for fresh investments in India, building on its existing relationships with commercial and military customers, including Air India, Indigo, and HAL.
Besides, Rai cited that I. recognition of the importance of developing industry-specific skills in aero-engine manufacturing, GE Aerospace has launched initiatives to address this need.
The company, as per him, has invested in training programmes for its factory workforce and supplier ecosystem, with over 5,000 shop floor technicians trained in Pune since 2015.
To further enhance the talent pipeline, GE Aerospace has partnered with technical schools in India, introducing new training capabilities that prepare students for specialised manufacturing skills.
Furthermore, the GE Aerospace Foundation has also awarded $2.3 million in grants to support the development of a skilled manufacturing workforce. Two of the beneficiaries of the grant are based in India.
The company has been operating in India for more than four decades, supplying engines to both military and commercial aircraft, manufacturing, and local supply chains, engineering, and research.