DECEMBER 20249AIR INDIA TO LAUNCH AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TRAINING HUB IN BENGALURUDOMESTIC ELECTRONICS MAKERS TO GAIN INCENTIVES TO COUNTER CHINESE RIVALSAir India is establishing an aircraft maintenance training institute in Bengaluru to provide a 2+2 year aircraft maintenance engineering (AME) program certified by DGCA. Air India announced that the purpose-built basic maintenance training organization (BMTO) will be operational at Bengaluru Airport City by mid-2026, spanning 86,000 square feet.India is set to launch a $5 billion incentive program to boost local production of electronic components, such as printed circuit boards, for gadgets ranging from mobile phones to laptops. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on The country's leading airline group has signed a pact with Bengaluru Airport City Ltd to develop a dedicated facility for the AME program complete with state-of-the-art classrooms and quality labs along with the right training professionals for the job."The Air India BMTO is a step towards building a robust, future-ready aviation ecosystem in India," stated Air India. "It will serve the ambitions of the airline as it moves ahead in its transformation journey, strengthening the availability of aircraft maintenance engineers as Air India expands its fleet, making it self-reliant."Until the new BMTO facility starts operating, Air India will launch a cadet AME program in collaboration with reputable institutions in Bengaluru and Hyderabad to maintain its dedication to AME education and workforce development, and to meet its needs for aircraft maintenance engineers, according to the statement.This facility and program, combined with proximity to Kempegowda international airport, will enable our AME cadets to gain hands-on, real-world experience as part of their training, supporting their future as industry-ready professionals aligned with Air India's ongoing fleet expansion needs," Air India's Aviation Academy Director, Sunil Bhaskaran, commented. imports, particularly from China, and strengthen domestic supply chains for the growing electronics manufacturing sector.India's electronics production has more than doubled in the past six years, reaching $115 billion in 2024, driven by smartphone manufacturing giants like Apple and Samsung. The country is now the fourth-largest smartphone supplier globally, but the sector faces criticism for its dependency on imported components.India aims to expand its electronics manufacturing to $500 billion by FY 2030, with $150 billion dedicated to component production, according to the government's policy think tank Niti Aayog. In FY 2024, the country imported electronics and telecom equipment worth $89.8 billion, with over half of these imports sourced from China and Hong Kong, as per a report by private think tank GTRI.Industry leaders have welcomed the move. Pankaj Mohindroo, head of India's Cellular and Electronics Association, remarked, "This scheme comes at a critical time to promote component manufacturing and support the scaling of electronics production to global levels."The incentive program reflects India's growing ambition to become a global electronics manufacturing hub while reducing dependence on foreign imports to ensure economic resilience.
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