Airbus awards manufacturing contracts to TASL, Mahindra

Hyderabad, Jan 18 (IANS) Airplane maker Airbus has signed contracts with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Mahindra Aerospace Structures Private Limited (MASPL) to procure commercial aircraft components.

The announcement was made at Wings India 2024, Asia's largest civil aviation event, that began in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Under the contract, TASL and Mahindra Aerostructures will manufacture metallic detail parts, components and assemblies for Airbus' A320neo, A330neo and A350 programmes. The two companies are already among more than 100 India-based suppliers that provide components and engineering and digital services for various Airbus programmes.

“Airbus has made ‘Make in India’ front and centre of its strategy in the country. Our ambition is not only to support the growth of the Indian commercial fleet but also to grow the complete aerospace ecosystem here -- and that includes developing and strengthening manufacturing and engineering capabilities from our Indian partners,” said Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia. “Tata Advanced Systems and Mahindra Aerostructures already contribute to our aircraft programmes, and the latest contracts increase our cooperation with them.”

For Airbus, India is a strategic resource hub where the company is expanding its industrial footprint with aircraft assembly, component manufacturing, engineering design and development, MRO support, pilot and maintenance training as well as academic collaboration to foster human capital, the company said in a statement.

"Today, every Airbus commercial aircraft has components and technologies made in India, including the A220 Escape Hatch Door and the Flap Track Beams for the A320neo and A330neo aircraft. Currently, the company’s procurement of components and services stands at about $750 million every year, and the latest round of contracts will add significantly to this," it said.

Airbus’ efforts to mature the wider Indian aerospace ecosystem includes the building of a Final Assembly Line for the C295 military aircraft in Vadodara under an industrial contract with TASL as well as training commercial pilots and maintenance crew.