GMR plans aerospace training hub in Hyderabad

The GMR Group plans to establish an aerospace training hub at Hyderabad Airport to cater to the training requirements in the sector.

GMR Group Chairman G.M. Rao Tuesday said French multinational Safran was ready to guide the group in creating the institute.

GMR team visited the world-class aerospace training centre in Morocco. He pointed out that Morocco's aerospace and defence sector is its one of the major GDP contributor.

"We have the same vision for Hyderabad and this state (Telangana)," he told a conference organized by Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) here with the theme "Strategies for indigenous development of civil and military aircraft"

He said the dearth of skilled workforce is the biggest challenge in the development of aerospace and defence sector in India.

Rao, who is the outgoing president of AeSI, said GMR Group has already developed one-of-its-kind aerospace cum multi-product SEZ, with access to runway at Hyderabad Airport.

He said India is poised to become third largest aviation market by 2020. The industry forecasts a demand of $100 billion, for commercial aircraft in the next two decades.

"The total spending in the coming time is expected, to be between $25 billion for commercial aircraft and $100 billion as defence expenditure," he added.

He hoped that in the next decade, India will become the global R&D and manufacturing hub of indigenous aerospace products.