GE Aerospace to Boost Component Sourcing from India.
GE Aerospace is planning to increase its sourcing of components from India, recognizing the country’s rapidly expanding aviation market, according to a senior company official. The engine maker already operates a manufacturing facility in Pune and the John F. Welch Technology Centre in Bengaluru, with 13 major suppliers, including Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL).
Mahendra Nair, Group Vice President for Commercial Programmes at GE Aerospace, highlighted India’s growing role in the company’s supply chain. “India has capable companies with strong engineering talent and production capabilities. As long as they meet our technical standards, India’s contribution will continue to grow,” Nair said in an interview.
Vikram Rai, CEO for South Asia at GE Aerospace, noted that the company’s sourcing from India increased 20-fold between 2018 and 2022. India, one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets globally, is seeing significant fleet expansions by domestic airlines.
Discussing global supply chain challenges, Nair said the aerospace industry is facing “tough” conditions, with demand on the supply chain growing by 25% annually. He expects improvements to take at least two years but noted that GE is still achieving a 25% increase in output year-over-year, despite the constrained environment.
GE Aerospace, in partnership with Safran Aircraft Engines through the CFM joint venture, produces LEAP engines, which power many narrow-body planes used by Indian carriers. Around 1,300 GE and CFM engines are currently deployed across various Indian airline fleets.
In addition to its presence in commercial aviation, GE Aerospace powers key defense platforms for India, including the Indian Air Force’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1 and Indian Navy’s helicopters and warships.
The company, which employs around 3,000 people in India, also celebrated a major milestone for its GEnx engines, which have completed two million flight hours with South Asian airlines. Ninety GEnx engines currently power wide-body Boeing planes for carriers like Air India, Vistara, and Biman Bangladesh, with Air India accounting for over 90% of the flight hours.
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