Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia said the global industry should leverage the opportunities available in the Indian aerospace sector by investing in the country. Speaking at the International Aerospace Conference organised by CII in Gwalior last week, Mr Scindia said the growth of Civil Aviation sector is an imperative now for the growth of India.
He noted that while civil aviation was once considered an elitist product, the introduction of the UDAN scheme has effectively “democratised” it, making it accessible to a wider cross-section of the population. He said civil aviation needs to grow as a product and not just a service.
Mr Scindia said risks in supply chain logistics needed to be offset and companies across the world are looking for a new promised land to build new capacities. The country offered that opportunity. “India has tremendous possibilities,” he said while delivering his inaugural speech at the conference themed around Inclusive Global Value Chains.
Addressing a session on ‘Spawning Global Value Chains in Design: Importance of MSMEs,’ Mr Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon, Minister of the Department of Industrial Policy & Investment Promotion, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, conveyed that Madhya Pradesh stands fully prepared to welcome the potential industrial investors.
He underscored the state’s abundant resources, a skilled workforce, and a highly favourable ecosystem for industrial development. Mr Dattigaon also elaborated on the robust aerospace and aviation infrastructure present in Madhya Pradesh. He said two more airports were coming up in the state at Datia and Rewa, which exemplify the shared dedication of both the state and central governments to firmly place Madhya Pradesh on India’s aviation map.
The first day of discussions centred around spawning robust aerospace manufacturing with a specific focus on MSMEs, the integration of Global MRO Services, the role of women in the aviation sector, advanced technologies in Aerospace, Aviation and Air Mobility, and the need for diverse skill sets, and the strategies for building scale in Aerospace Manufacturing.
The day culminated with a collective commitment to advance the aerospace sector and modernise the aviation industry in India, driven by a shared vision for progress.
The B20 conference was curated by the Confederation of Indian Industry in partnership with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers with the aim of boosting international collaboration and foster knowledge sharing within the aerospace industry. Over 300 Indian and foreign delegates attended the conference at Gwalior. Over 35 national and international experts and industry representatives addressed the conference.
Mr Scindia also said that it was for the first time in the history of India that an airport is being built in the record time of 15 months. He was referring to the new domestic terminal at Gwalior airport spread on 2.5 lakh square meters of land. The airport will be inaugurated in December this year, said a release.