Airbus Board Meeting in Delhi: India Focus

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) Aircraft maker Airbus will hold the meeting of its board of directors in the national capital early next week, according to an official.

This will be the first time that the Airbus board will be meeting in India, a key market for the aerospace major, which already sources more than USD 1.4 billion worth of services and components from the country.

An Airbus spokesperson on Thursday said the company sees great potential in India's talent pool, its thriving industrial ecosystem and its clear 'Make in India' vision.

Airbus, which has a significant presence in India's civil aviation and defence segments, is also setting up two Final Assembly Lines for the H125 helicopters as well as the C295 military aircraft. Both FALs are being set up with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd.

The board of directors of Airbus will be meeting in the national capital early next week, and it will be the first time that the board meeting will be taking place in India since the aircraft maker started operations here six decades ago, the official said.

There are 12 members on the board, chaired by René Obermann, as per the Airbus website.

The Airbus spokesperson said the board of directors' visit to India is a significant moment and that the country is a critical hub for its global operations.

"We have already crossed the milestone of sourcing over USD 1.4 billion in components and services annually. We are on track to significantly increase that figure, as we continue to further integrate India into our global value chain," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Among others, IndiGo and Air India together have placed orders for more than 1,000 planes with Airbus.

The spokesperson also said that Airbus' investments in India are deepening across the board, from growing engineering and digital centres in Bengaluru, which are integral to its worldwide operations, to expanding its industrial footprint.

This visit will serve to reinforce the commitment, cementing Airbus' role as a reliable partner of India, the spokesperson added.

In March, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the aircraft maker's annual sourcing of components and services from India will be ramped up significantly to touch USD 2 billion before 2030.