Australian aviation and aerospace companies are now pegging some of their growth opportunities on the booming Indian airports and air transport scene, according to a large business mission now on a visit from the State of Victoria.
A 14-company aviation mission landed in Bangalore on Monday on a five-city visit offering services such as green airports, master planning, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul), pilot training, to component manufacturing.
The companies are looking at collaborative opportunities in India and outside as new private airport operators such as GVK and GMR expand their operations globally, said Mr Greg Fordham, Airbiz Aviation Strategies Pty Ltd.
The team met Bangalore airport officials and would be checking out business prospects at the new Mumbai and Delhi airports and the minor airports that the Government has planned across Tier-II cities.
Australia's export earnings across aviation services and products were around AUD 850 million a year, according to Mr Geoff Bowmaker, CEO of the industry body Australian Association of Aviation & Aerospace Industries.
Victoria was an aviation hub with 500 companies clustered around the Melbourne airport, said Mr Gopi Shankar, Bangalore-based Director - Trade, Trade Engagement India, for Victoria.
Rosebank opened a 26:74 MRO venture in Bangalore called VyoneeshRosebank Engineering with a Delhi partner with an investment of AUD 5 million (around Rs 23 crore by current exchange rates). The company hopes to get operational by this year-end and will initially offer MRO support for landing gear and hydraulics of aircraft, said Ms Juliet Brennan, an Operations Manager for Rosebank.
Mr Shankar said the totally 60-member mission to Mumbai, Delhi and Pune was the largest exploratory mission from that country and includes automotive, sustainable energy, food and beverages and clean technologies.