Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India will not have to wait for too long for a Boeing aircraft that is designed and manufactured in the country. He made this statement in Bengaluru as he inaugurated Boeing's engineering centre in the city, Reuters reported.
Boeing's Bengaluru state-of-the-art facility -- Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC) -- built at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore ($200 million) in 43-acre area, is planemaker's largest such investment outside the US.
At the event, which was also attended by senior Boeing executives including Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Pope, PM Modi stressed the need to build an aircraft manufacturing ecosystem in India.
"Given that there is so much potential in India, we need to rapidly build an aircraft manufacturing ecosystem in the country," PM Modi said.
Boeing has witnessed a surge in interest for its jets in India, currently the world's fastest-growing aviation market, with travel demand outstripping the supply of planes.
The campus at Hightech Defence and Aerospace Park in Devanahalli on the city outskirts will become a cornerstone for partnerships with the vibrant startups, private and government ecosystem in India, and will help develop next-generation products and services for the global aerospace and defence industry, Boeing said.
PM Modi launches Boeing Sukanya Programme to support girl child
The Prime Minister also launched the Boeing Sukanya Programme that the company said aims to support the entry of more girl children from across India into the country’s growing aviation sector.
The programme will provide opportunities for girls and women from across India to learn critical skills in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and train for jobs in the aviation sector, a company statement said.
For young girls, the programme will create STEM Labs at 150 planned locations to help spark interest in STEM careers. It will also provide scholarships to women who are training to be pilots. Investments will support flight training curriculum, obtaining certifications, funding for simulator training, and career development programmes, Boeing said.
“We are honored and privileged to support Prime Minister Modi’s transformative vision for India, and we are grateful to have him dedicate the Boeing campus to foster aerospace innovation in the country,” said David L.Calhoun, Boeing president and CEO.
Over the years, the statement said, Boeing India has grown its team in engineering and R&D talent to the largest number of employees in any country outside the United States, with more than 6,000 as of December 2023.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, and Boeing Chief Operating Officer, Stephanie Pope, were among those present on the occasion.
With inputs from PTI, Reuters
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