Aerospace Sector Told to Match Global Standards

Hyderabad:India’s aerospace industry must now demonstrate that it can meet global quality standards, absorb advanced technologies and take on more complex manufacturing responsibilities, speakers said on the second day of Aeromart Hyderabad 2026 on Wednesday. Discussions focused on scaling up manufacturing, artificial intelligence, workforce development and India’s expanding role in the space sector.

The day began with a panel discussion on ‘Make in India: Competing on Capability, Quality and Scale’, where representatives from Capgemini, Dassault Aviation, GE Aerospace, Latecoere and Axon’ Cables & Connectors discussed the challenges Indian suppliers face in securing a larger role in global aerospace programmes. The panel emphasised that production growth alone would not be sufficient without consistent quality, technological capability and the ability to meet increasingly complex industry requirements.

Airbus later presented applications of artificial intelligence and operations research in aircraft maintenance and ground operations. The session highlighted AI-driven maintenance planning, reliability analysis and data-based solutions to reduce delays while improving aircraft utilisation and airport efficiency.

Aerospace Valley subsequently outlined the role of regional industrial clusters in bringing together companies, research institutions and public agencies. The focus then shifted to next-generation manufacturing, with industry leaders discussing supply-chain resilience, evolving production requirements and the skills needed for future aerospace programmes.

The final session examined India’s space sector, covering the evolution from component manufacturing to complete systems integration. Representatives from Ananth Technologies, Dhruva Space and Apollo Micro Systems highlighted the country’s growing capabilities and the expanding commercial opportunities across the space value chain.

The programme followed Tuesday’s France-India and Italy-India aerospace sessions, during which Marc Lamy, Consul General of France in Bengaluru, described the bilateral industrial partnership as one built over several decades.

“Our main industry leaders have been committed to the Indian market for decades and began producing in India with Indian partners even before the Make in India policies,” Lamy said. He identified maintenance, training and innovation as key areas where French and Indian companies could further strengthen cooperation.