HYDERABAD:The aerospace sector is likely to a get a fillip with the Telangana government gearing up to unveil its first aerospace policy shortly.
The state, which boasts of the country’s first Aerospace and Precision Engineering SEZ at Adibatla in Ranga Reddy district, had also announced plans to set up two more similar aerospace parks to accommodate prospective companies.
Over the past three years, the aerospace SEZ had attracted investments to the tune of around Rs 3,000 crore.
Sensing the potential, the government has identified another 1,000 acres in order to help expand the aerospace industry within the state, industries minister Jupally Krishna Rao said.
Currently, several homegrown and multi-national companies like Zen Technologies, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), Mahindra & Mahindra, Sikorsky, Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin have operations at the Aerospace SEZ.
“The helicopter cabin to be used by President Obama too will be made in Hyderabad. We will consider options of making cabins in Hyderabad for another helicopter model only if we manage to bag the deal from the Indian Navy,” said Goldie Srivastava, spokesperson, UTC, parent company of Sikorsky.
Currently, the aerospace SEZ is spread across 350 acres of which only 250 acres has been notified as SEZ.
Besides TASL, the state had allotted 30 acres in the SEZ to Nova Integrated Systems, a Tata enterprise, 25 acres to Punj Lloyd, 20 acres to Mishra Dhatu Nigam (Midhani) and 96 acres to Samuha, a consortium of manufacturers including MTAR Technologies Pvt Ltd.
On the other hand, Samuha that is setting up operations in the aerospace and high-precision metrological test and measurement facility, has been allotted an additional 106 acres outside the SEZ for further expansion.
Given the locational advantage and existing infrastructure at the SEZ, the Tata Group has decided to base all its aerospace activities in Hyderabad.
The company had already committed investments of more than Rs 1,550 crore to set up facilities in separate joint ventures with overseas companies like Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin Aerostructures.
While with Lockheed Martin-TASL, it will make aerostructures for the C-130 aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin, with Sikorsky, it is producing components for S-92 helicopter cabins and more than 50 cabins have already been produced so far.
Similarly, Nova Integrated Sytems, is setting up an integrated aerospace complex to undertake high-end precision electronics manufacturing, assembly and integration of airborne vehicles.
B/E Aerospace, one of the leading aircraft cabin and interior products producers, has set up its engineering services division here.
Just last week, city-based Zen Technologies unveiled its first jointly developed helicopter simulator with Rockwell Collins at the AeroIndia, 2015 show in Bengaluru.
“Our alliance with Rockwell Collins marks the first time that a global simulator original equipment manufacturer has teamed with an Indian simulator manufacturing company to cater to the Indian defence market,” said Ashok Atluri, managing director, Zen Technologies.
Expansion Plans