The Hindu Business Line : ‘Karnataka must cash in on lead in aerospace’

Bangalore, Aug.12 Global reports have predicted a $40-billion shower of engineering services on India by 2020, and an aerospace think-tank here has its own agenda in this regard.

A vision document scripted by CII-Karnataka wants Karnataka to grab the lead as the unmistakable Indian – if not Asian – aerospace hub in the next eight years.

Start now with a ready pool of hundreds of employable youngsters and put up the right infrastructure, says Mr A.K. Saxena, Chairman of CII-Karnataka’s Core Group on Aerospace.

For starters, the core group has drafted new industry-oriented aerospace curricula for engineering degree, diploma students and for the first time, for technical training courses.

Students at ITIs will be trained in 4-5 new relevant trades conforming to DGCA (Directorate-General of Civil Aviation) norms.

The plan is to train youngsters on all fronts ranging from pilots, ground and air crew, personnel for manufacturing, engineering, to the emerging big business of MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul.)

“The domain expertise, infrastructure and human resource in aerospace is among the best around Bangalore,” Mr Saxena, who recently retired as Managing Director of HAL’s Bangalore Complex, told Business Line.

“Karnataka is already known for its manufacturing, research and MRO skills through HAL and in engineering design services through the presence of numerous software companies. It should cash in on this lead now.”

PEOPLE POOL

A Nasscom-Booz Allen Hamilton survey of 2006 has put ESO (engineering service outsourcing) as a big business opportunity for India by 2020, with a good share of it in aerospace.

Companies striking big purchase deals with India also have offset obligations of 30-50 per cent of the deal – conservatively put at $10-12 billion.

Big-ticket Indian Defence purchase deals such as those of fighters and helicopters are coming up; airlines are shoring up their fleets.

The big names in aerospace and Defence, such as Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce and GE and Honeywell and Europe’s EADS are all ramping up activities in the country and looking out for tier-II suppliers.

Mr Saxena said: “Everyone is keen to come here or do business with us, from engineering to manufacturing companies. But where are the people in India for all that?”

He added: “Worldwide, there is shortage of aerospace people and it is also costly to get these jobs done in the West.”

A trained pool, according to him, would pre-empt poaching within the industry.

The revised curriculum draft will be shortly presented to the State’s umbrella body, Visveswaraya Technological University, State authorities, industry and colleges.

SEZ PLANS

The second gameplan is to have an aerospace SEZ near Bangalore to attract manufacturing and engineering companies to the State.

The State Government plans to have an 800-acre zone near Bangalore.

The SEZ, when its comes through, would be the nucleus of all aerospace activities in the country, Mr Saxena said.

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