Aerospace revenue to double in five years: Godrej's Maneck Behramkamdin

Godrej Enterprises Group's aerospace division has evolved from making ISRO rocket components to becoming a key player in India's push for self-reliance in military aircraft engines

Godrej Enterprises Group's aerospace division, already a supplier to global aerospace giants like GE, Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Honeywell, and Safran, recently achieved a major milestone when it became the only Indian private firm to manufacture a large military turbofan engine. Against this backdrop, MANECK EDDIE BEHRAMKAMDIN, executive vice-president and business head for the aerospace division, Godrej Enterprises Group, spoke about the company's journey in engine manufacturing in an interview with Bhaswar Kumar at the Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru on February 12. Edited excerpts:

 

Can you give us an overview of your journey in aerospace engine manufacturing?

 

Our aerospace business began in 1985, initially supplying small thruster components to the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). We later moved to manufacturing Vikas liquid-fuel rocket engines, which power Isro's launch vehicles. We also manufacture the first chamber of ISRO's newer CE-20 cryogenic engine. Our passion for engines led us into exports in 2014, which now account for 40 per cent of our aerospace business. Our aero engine component exports are exclusively for civil aviation, while 60 per cent of our aerospace business remains domestic, focused on defence and space. Today we manufacture parts for CFM International’s LEAP and Rolls-Royce’s Trent engines, which power Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft.

 

Tell us about your 2022 deal with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE).

 

The KDE project is significantly more complex than anything we have undertaken before. When DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) sought a private firm to manufacture these engines, we competed and won the tender for six engines and all eight of their modules. The KDE is a non-afterburning turbofan engine derived from the Kaveri project, originally meant for the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas fighter jet. It produces about 49 kilonewtons of dry thrust and is intended to power India’s unmanned combat aerial vehicles. We are manufacturing the entire engine, except for the gearbox, and have already delivered all modules for the first engine to GTRE. We are confident that future orders will follow.

 

Are you the only Indian private company producing a complete high-grade engine?

 

As of now, yes. Other than HAL, no Indian company manufactures all modules of a gas turbine engine of this size. We can now manufacture to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications rather than relying on detailed design drawings. Our in-house design team was set up in 2022.

 

Besides engines, what else is Godrej Enterprises Group working on in defence?

 

We have showcased a line of actuators at Aero India. On February 11, we signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to develop actuators for India’s first 5th-generation stealth fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Our components are already flying on the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk-1, but the AMCA project is a much bigger opportunity. A component designed by us for the Tejas Mk-1A cleared the critical design review in 2024 and is now undergoing testing. We also have an MoU with Bharat Electronics Limited to collaborate on national defence projects. In addition to being a Tier-I supplier to HAL, we contribute to airframe subsystems for various OEMs in India.

 

What growth do you anticipate in aerospace and defence over the next five years?

 

Having sustained a 20 per cent compound annual growth rate, we anticipate doubling revenue in five years, up from the current Rs 700 crore. Godrej has remained committed to defence despite initial revenue and profitability challenges. As we expand, recoveries from past investments and India’s push for a new engine will drive growth.

 

What about your order book?

 

We have a healthy order book, with confirmed bookings for at least a year. On the civil aeroengine side, we have long-term contracts with OEMs, many of which are renewable five-year agreements, ensuring steady visibility. For 2025-26, our order book stands at Rs 600 crore, and we continue to add new business.

 

What about ongoing and future investments?

 

Our aerospace business is expanding to a new facility in Maharashtra, set to begin operations in 2027. Located about 70 km from Bombay, the 100-acre site is three times our current space. This greenfield project will transform barren land into two large plants, each spread across 650,000 square feet, with provisions for a third in the future. Godrej Enterprises Group has invested over Rs 3,000 crore in overall expansion, with aerospace and defence also set to benefit, reaffirming Godrej’s commitment to these sectors amid strong growth prospects.