Airbus has inaugurated a new 5,000-seater technology centre on the outskirts of Bengaluru, marking a significant expansion of its strategic operations in India. This development, which took place on March 6, 2026, underscores the European aerospace giant’s commitment to its ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The 880,000 square feet facility is set to become a hub for engineering, digital transformation, customer services, and procurement. According to Jürgen Westermeier, President and the Managing Director in India and South Asia, this centre represents a strategic acceleration in the company’s journey in India, providing the scale and capacity for future growth.
As the largest engineering and digital centre outside Europe, the Bengaluru facility will integrate Indian expertise into the entire lifecycle of Airbus aircraft. This includes maintaining and optimizing existing aircraft and helicopter programs, as well as pioneering research into next-generation technologies like cybersecurity, robotics, and AI.
Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Minister of Civil Aviation, emphasized Bengaluru’s growing status as a global aviation hub. He highlighted the confidence that the company has in India’s technological capabilities, noting that critical technologies for all aircraft and helicopters will be designed and developed by Indian engineers in Bengaluru.
They have also increased their annual sourcing from India, tripling it from $500 million in 2019 to over $1.5 billion, with plans to exceed $2 billion. This strategy is evident in the more than 100 Indian companies currently supplying crucial components for global programs, including flap track beams and helicopter fuselages.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed strong commitment to supporting the aviation sector. He noted that India’s young engineers are driving progress and that the country offers a significant talent pool for global companies to establish their bases in India.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, March 7, 2026
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