By N. C. Bipindra

In this exclusive interview, Airbus India and South Asia president and managing director Jürgen Westermeier tells Defence Capital readers the company’s procurement from India has grown three times from USD 500 million in 2019 to about USD 1.5 billion. Here are the excerpts:

Q: How does Airbus view India’s civil aviation market over the next decade, and how is Airbus’ catalysing the growth of the country’s aviation sector? 

A: India’s aerospace industry is the market of the future. We see tremendous appetite for growth. Add to that the country’s demographic dividend and significant engineering and IT talent pool, making India a magnet for trade and investment in aerospace.

Airbus is fully utilising this clear talent advantage that India offers for all its global commercial aircraft and helicopter programmes. Additionally, in today’s volatile and uncertain world, India offers political stability and policy predictability. One area of focus could be the speed of doing business.

India also offers unique opportunities in the space business with the opening up of the sector to private players. The country is also well placed to play a significant role in the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel by leveraging the availability of diverse feedstock.

Today, India is also transitioning beyond a mere market, further strengthening itself as a strategic resource hub for Airbus by offering competitiveness and competency.

We have tripled our procurement from India since 2019 and are elevating more Indian firms to Tier I supplier status, as we view the country as a critical and reliable pillar to address global supply chain challenges.

The country is rapidly emerging as both a leading engine of global commercial aviation growth as well as a substantial aerospace manufacturing and talent hub, positioning the country as an aviation powerhouse for the industry’s future.

Q: How is Airbus positioned to support India’s regional connectivity programme (UDAN)?

A: The Government of India UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) programme stands as a landmark initiative in the democratisation of Indian aviation, fundamentally shifting air travel from a luxury for the few to a reliable utility for the many.

Today, however, we view the A220 as the vital ‘missing link’ that has the potential to further catalyse the evolution of India’s aviation market. Our A220 is purpose-built and sized to harmonise the UDAN programme’s core mission of democratisation, making Tier-2 and Tier-3 routes commercially sustainable and efficient. 

Not only that, by introducing an aircraft that features ‘Make in India’ components such as the critical door assemblies manufactured in Bengaluru, we are not just proposing a new fleet type, we are proposing a strategic, integrated ecosystem to our Indian carriers.

Q: What are the biggest regulatory, infrastructure, or policy challenges you see in India for Airbus — and what specific actions are you seeking from the government to accelerate growth?

A: To maximise India’s potential in the global aerospace and defence (A&D) sector, four areas need attention: Finance must be restructured by treating A&D as an infrastructure industry to provide competitive, long-term credit and by extending incentives like the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to ease capital barriers. 

Similarly, human capital development must accelerate to move the local industry beyond simple “built-to-print” work toward higher-value “built-to-design” competencies by leveraging the country’s deep technological talent.

Finally, the support of Original Equipment Makers is vital, as global disruptions have created a timely opportunity for Indian companies to deepen their partnerships and integrate further into the de-risking and ramp-up strategies of global aerospace players.

Q: How does Airbus balance its defence and civil ambitions in India — particularly as the government champions both Make in India and strategic autonomy?

A: We have a strategic approach to India – and ‘Make in India’ is at the core of this strategy. We want to develop a comprehensive aerospace ecosystem in India across all dimensions: Manufacturing, Assembly, Maintenance, Engineering, Digital, Leasing and Training. 

Consider this: In just five years, our sourcing from India has already tripled from USD 500 million in 2019 to about USD 1.5 billion. But it’s not just the volume of work but also the value and complexity of the activity that has grown.

Airbus has awarded contracts to Indian suppliers to manufacture the doors for A320 and A220 aircraft, flap track beams and helicopter fuselages. Our procurement trajectory will touch USD 2 billion well before 2030.

Airbus is the only aerospace company to bring two final assembly lines in India that are being set up by our partners, the Tatas: for the C295 military transport aircraft and H125 helicopters.

We are also the only company to have two full-motion pilot training centres in India. We believe human capital development is a critical pillar of aviation growth and we have invested in multiple skilling and training initiatives in the country, especially with the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Vadodara which is focused on the transport and logistics sector.

Q: What are Airbus’ offerings during Wings India 2026? 

A: At the Wings India airshow, Airbus will showcase its extensive portfolio of commercial aircraft and helicopters, highlighting its long-term commitment to supporting the growth of India’s civil aviation sector.

Airbus will feature several of its latest platforms on static display, including the A220 and A321neo’s long-range variant – the A321LR commercial aircraft, as well as the H125 and H160 helicopters, underscoring the company’s capabilities across fixed-wing and rotary-wing aviation and a wide range of civil missions.

Airbus will be present at Stall 11 of the exhibition pavilion where it will display scale models of the A321XLR and A220-300, alongside helicopter models of the H145 and H125, offering a closer look at Airbus’ most versatile rotorcraft and aircraft families. The booth will also host an H125 Virtual Reality Simulator, providing an immersive experience of one of the world’s most widely used light helicopters.

A dedicated sustainability corner at the Airbus booth will highlight the company’s efforts to advance sustainable aviation, including its focus on decarbonisation and the responsible growth of the aerospace sector.

During the public days of the show, the Airbus HR team will host meet-and-greet sessions for university students, professionals and aviation enthusiasts interested in careers across Airbus’ aerospace value chain.

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