Skilling India for the skies

Rajeev Kaul

India’s aerospace manufacturing sector stands at an inflection point, poised for significant growth driven by the global civil aviation boom and the government’s Make in India push to build a strong indigenous aerospace ecosystem. 

With an estimated order book of over $70 billion for the next decade, India is a key driver of growth in the global passenger aircraft market. It is only natural, then, that the country seeks to translate this into manufacturing gains. However, the persistent shortage of skilled talent is emerging as the biggest obstacle to realising this potential.  

Aerospace manufacturing is a technically complex and highly regulated industry where precision, quality, and innovation are critical. It requires highly trained engineers and technicians with hands-on experience specific to aerospace manufacturing. 

India produces over 1.5 million engineering graduates annually. However, the challenge lies in the limited alignment of their skills with the demands of aerospace manufacturing. This sector requires professionals who not only have general engineering skills but are also well-versed in aerospace standards such as AS9100 quality management, stringent tolerances, and aerospace material technologies. The gap between industry requirements and talent readiness underscores the critical need for focused skill development initiatives.

Several factors contribute to the talent gap. First, the niche nature of the aerospace industry means few academic programmes offer targeted curricula or vocational training aligned with industry needs. Second, the rapid pace of technology evolution leaves many engineers without exposure to emerging manufacturing techniques such as additive manufacturing and automation. Third, the retention of skilled talent is a challenge, as companies compete for a limited pool of resources.

According to industry estimates, India’s aerospace manufacturing sector is expected to reach a valuation of around $70 billion by 2030. To support this growth, an additional 150,000 to 200,000 skilled talents with aerospace domain expertise will be needed.

The Karnataka Aerospace & Defence Policy 2022-2027 also flags skill shortage as a key bottleneck. It outlines plans to develop aerospace parks with dedicated skill development centres and encourages participation from start-ups and MSMEs in nurturing the talent pipelines.

Despite the proliferation of engineering colleges, surveys show that fewer than 20% of programmes include aerospace manufacturing fundamentals in their syllabi. Moreover, opportunities for on-the-job training remain limited due to a lack of exposure to specialised aerospace technologies. These gaps result in higher training costs, delayed product development, and reduced competitiveness.

To address this, several companies have adopted proactive approaches — investing in in-house training, collaborating with technical institutes and launching apprenticeship programmes. These efforts are promising but remain scattered and insufficient in scale. To become a major aerospace manufacturing hub, India needs a broader, more coordinated effort. While the industry has tried to address this gap on its own, it is now imperative for the government to act as a force multiplier in creating a talent pipeline.  

One of the core strategies should be to develop specialised training academies within aerospace manufacturing clusters. With an emphasis on hands-on training, these academies will have to integrate theory with live manufacturing experience to help create a pipeline of engineers and technicians ready to contribute from day one.

Government institutions and industry associations should collaborate to design curriculum and certification programmes tailored to the aerospace manufacturing sector’s evolving needs. This approach should aim to build a skill base that is aligned with international aerospace quality and safety standards.

A third element is the adoption of technology-enabled learning platforms and upskilling initiatives. This will have to focus on training for emerging aerospace manufacturing technologies encompassing Industry 4.0 methodologies and futuristic materials and composites.  

The talent shortage in aerospace should not be seen merely as a challenge but as a strategic opportunity. At a time when the aerospace talent in the West is ageing, India - with its young population and strong engineering education base - is uniquely positioned to fill the gap. The industry and the government can together elevate India’s aerospace manufacturing sector by adopting a forward-looking, ecosystem-driven approach.

(The writer is the managing director of a high-precision manufacturing company in the aerospace industry) 

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.