‘India Operates 11 C-17s, 22 AH-64 Apaches, 15 CH-47 Chinooks, 12 P-8Is, 3 VVIP Aircraft and 2 Head of State Aircraft, all Boeing platforms’
How is Boeing’s commitment to initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ driving indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing?
Boeing’s steadfast commitment to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ is evident in our strategic investments, partnerships, and innovations that help grow India’s aerospace and defence ecosystem. Our approach goes beyond transactions—we collaborate to co-develop advanced solutions, drive innovation, and foster indigenous manufacturing and skill development.
An example that stands out is Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) in Hyderabad, a state-of-the-art facility that integrates cutting-edge technology with indigenous manufacturing. TBAL produces aero-structures for Boeing’s AH-64 Apache helicopter, including fuselages, secondary structures, and vertical spar boxes. With now over 300 fuselages delivered globally, including to the US Army, more than 90 per cent of the fuselage parts are manufactured in India, sourced from network of over 100 MSME suppliers. TBAL also has a more recent production line that manufactures vertical fin structures for 737.
Our supplier ecosystem in India has consistently achieved global recognition, with partners such as Cyient, Tata, Rossell, and Dynamatic Technologies Limited receiving Boeing’s prestigious ‘Supplier of the Year’ award among a competitive network of over 11,000 suppliers worldwide. This highlights the exceptional quality and capabilities of Indian suppliers, reinforcing their growing role in global aerospace manufacturing. Through initiatives like these, Boeing continues to drive India’s indigenous aerospace ambitions, strengthening local manufacturing capabilities and advancing the country’s vision of self-reliance in the sector.
How is Boeing addressing India’s growing aviation market across commercial, defence, and services businesses?
Boeing’s vision has always been to bring the best of Boeing to India and take the best of India to the world. With over 80 years in India, Boeing has been integral to the growth of the country’s commercial aviation sector and the modernisation of its defence forces, building trust and reliability among local stakeholders. Our long-standing presence and continuous engagement have positioned us as the mainstay of India’s growing commercial aviation sector. We have strong partnerships with Indian carriers such as Akasa Air, Air India, and SpiceJet. Air India’s historic order for up to 290 Boeing jets and the Akasa Air order of 226 737 MAX airplanes speak to Boeing’s increasing presence and participation in India’s aviation growth. Boeing also offers comprehensive lifecycle support services, such as pilot and technician training and digital solutions, to optimise airline operations.
Today, India operates 11 C-17s, 22 AH-64 Apaches (with six more on order), 15 CH-47 Chinooks, 12 P-8Is, 3 VVIP aircraft and two Head of State aircraft, all Boeing platforms. We are also seeing growth in our services business and, with it, growth in the value Boeing creates through product lifecycle support and training. Our team is working with the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy to provide operational capability and readiness for the P-8Is, C-17s, Apaches, Chinooks and Head of State aircraft through sustenance contracts. Boeing Defence India (BDI), our local establishment in India, is leading our investments in services infrastructure, building of local capabilities, workforce training and partnerships right here in India that are aimed at ensuring the Indian armed forces are always mission-ready, and operate their assets at peak condition.
We are collaborating closely with Indian stakeholders across the public and private sectors to deliver advanced capabilities in aviation and defence. In 2024, Boeing executed pivotal programmes such as the Air Cargo Symposium, Pilot Roundtable, and Executive Development Programmes. These initiatives involved collaboration with airline customers, regulatory bodies like the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) and ministry of civil aviation (MoCA), the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and aviation startups, aiming to enhance various facets of India’s aviation sector.
In 2021, we launched the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) Hub. It is an initiative to bring together ecosystem partners to shape India as a strategic destination for aerospace engineering, maintenance, repair and sustainment services. This is a one-of-its-kind initiative that seeks to provide customers with best-in-class solutions, efficient turnaround times, and optimal economic value, all available in-country. Partnership is Boeing’s key to success, and we believe it makes more sense to partner with local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MROs) that are already established and have great capabilities. Through such partnerships, Boeing is working with customers and local industry to develop MRO facilities in the region, to support India’s aspiration to become an MRO hub for the region.
Our focus on transparency, innovation, and localised solutions has built enduring relationships with customers, suppliers, and policymakers. Boeing’s infrastructure, skill development and research investments have further reinforced our reputation as a reliable partner contributing to India’s aviation growth and defence modernisation.
What impact will BIETC’s research and development efforts have on the future trajectory of the aerospace and defence industries in India and globally?
BIETC goes beyond providing engineering support—it drives aerospace innovation and talent development, shaping the future of aerospace and defence in India, for India, and the world.
Forefront of cutting-edge research and development: BIETC teams are at the forefront of pioneering work, driving advancements in next-generation airplane management, secure communication networks, and the development of innovative technologies, including the integration of AI/ ML, IoT, and Cloud Computing solutions. The centre’s R&D efforts focus on addressing critical industry needs, such as eco-friendly coatings for sustainability and advanced aircraft health management systems for enhanced operational efficiency. These innovations reflect Boeing’s unwavering commitment to tackling the industry’s greatest challenges and paving the way for a transformative future in aerospace.
Fostering talent growth through industry-academia partnerships and incubator programmes: Boeing is committed to shaping the future of aerospace in India through partnerships and pioneering incubator programmes that propel talent development and innovation. With enduring collaborations with IISc to form Aerospace Network Research Consortium (ANRC) producing 75+ research papers, STEM education initiatives with RVCA college in Bengaluru, and IIT incubation centres fostering research-driven breakthroughs, Boeing is empowering the next-generation of engineering and aviation talent from India.
- Through transformative initiatives such as the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) programme, which fosters the growth of India’s startup ecosystem, and the Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition, Boeing is cultivating a world-class ecosystem to advance global aerospace excellence with strong roots in India.
How is Boeing supporting the Indian armed forces in maintaining their fleets?
Cost-effective solutions, timely support, and flawless execution are central to BDI’s commitment to its customers. As Boeing’s dedicated local entity in India, BDI provides holistic lifecycle solutions, including timely maintenance, repairs, and access to technological advancements. These services ensure high fleet availability and mission readiness, enabling the Indian armed forces to effectively safeguard national security. We are working with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy (IN) to provide operational capability and readiness for the P-8Is, the C-17s, the Head of State aircraft and the Chinooks and Apaches. Boeing’s integrated logistics support is already enabling the highest levels of fleet-readiness. We support the IAF’s C-17 fleet under the Globemaster Integrated Support Program (GISP), that maintains high mission capability rates, by providing them access to an extensive support network for parts availability and economies of scale.
Boeing provides comprehensive C-17 Globemaster III training solutions for aircrews and loadmasters with advanced simulation, courseware and computer-based training. C-17 operators can practice the complete range of tasks required for tactical military airlift operations and humanitarian missions, along with mission rehearsal of all scenarios including emergency procedures. Boeing’s in-country C-17 training centre has completed thousands of training hours for aircrews and loadmasters. Boeing also offers long-term Performance Based Logistics (PBL) solutions for the platforms, namely, P-8I, Apache and Chinook, with a promise to provide similar levels of availability currently provided for the C-17 fleet through our GISP programme. Boeing also offers training on platform simulators, just as we do today for the C-17 platform.
PBL strategies have a proven track record of transforming the legacy transactional support between Boeing and its customers, to solutions that increase aircraft availability, resolve Aircraft On-Ground (AOG) situations, and reduce the life-cycle cost of operating defence aircraft. PBLs translate to higher aircraft availability through better utilisation of inventory and the requirement for fewer spare parts. Specifically for India, a PBL strategy will help resolve operational issues and enable further growth of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision by strengthening India’s national defence industry. Boeing has globally executed over 12 Apache, and over six Chinook PBLs, bringing over 30 years of experience to enable long-term success of vertical lift readiness in India.
Notably, our offerings of the PBL solutions (referred variously as Aircraft Support Agreement (ASA), Aircraft Maintenance Contract (AMC) or Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC) include our digital offering—Mission Accelerator (MA). MA helps enhance availability of platforms significantly by providing predictability into maintenance. It also helps in operations and training of aircrew. What truly stands out on the sustainment programmes is the overwhelmingly positive feedback we are receiving from our defence customers in India on the significant value our platforms and support ecosystem bring to their missions, which fills us with pride and deep satisfaction.
MRO presents significant growth opportunities for local companies to fill existing gaps. What are Boeing’s plans to expand its MRO capabilities through Indian companies by 2025, supporting both the commercial and defence aviation sectors?
With over eight decades of presence in the Indian market, Boeing remains deeply committed to India and is focused on enhancing in-country capabilities through Boeing Defence India (BDI). We will continue to honour our commitment to supporting the local ecosystem and build on the positive feedback we consistently receive from our defence customers, supporting our men and women in uniform to achieve higher fleet availability and mission readiness. As the aviation sector experiences exponential growth, our investments will remain directed toward strengthening the foundation for in-country service support, including partnerships, training programmes, and infrastructure enhancements.
In the defence sector, we will further support the growth of the MRO ecosystem. For commercial aviation, we will expand dual-use capabilities within existing MRO infrastructure to meet the demands of India’s rapidly growing fleet. Through the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) programme, we aim to enhance platform support, develop Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and train a skilled workforce, elevating local capabilities to international standards. These initiatives align with our commitment to India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, reinforcing our role as a key partner in the country’s aerospace and defence ecosystem.