Gurugram. Airbus and Air India have inaugurated a world-class pilot training centre in Gurugram, Haryana. This benchmark facility will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to support the exponential growth of commercial aviation in India.
The 50:50 joint venture facility was inaugurated by India’s Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, in the presence of Air India CEO Campbell Wilson as well as Airbus Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Aircraft Christian Scherer.
The new 12,000m² centre will be equipped with 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFSs), along with modern classrooms and briefing rooms. The facility is designed to train pilots for the Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families. The courses are approved by both the DGCA and EASA, ensuring India’s pilot training meets the highest global standards.
“Air India is in an expansion mode with 570 new aircraft on order and the new pilot training centre at our Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, a part of which is being executed with Airbus, will help train and upskill pilots who will fuel Air India’s ambition of becoming a world-class airline. This facility is a major step forward in our transformation journey and in making Air India and the Indian aviation industry more self-reliant. With our partners Airbus, we are playing our part in building the aviation infrastructure that India needs as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets,” said Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India.
“We are very proud to partner with Air India and the Tata Group on this critical infrastructure project. The inauguration of the training centre is a testament to our shared vision for the future of Indian aviation. This is more than a joint venture; it is a strategic investment in the future of the Indian aerospace industry itself. India is a critical base for Airbus, and this state-of-the-art facility is a testament to our belief in its immense potential,” said Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia.
The Gurugram facility will complement the four A320 Family FFSs at the existing Airbus India Training Centre in New Delhi. Together, these two hubs will house a combined total of 14 FFSs, creating a powerful training network. In addition, Airbus is collaborating with local partners to provide world-class maintenance training, ensuring a robust pipeline of technicians and engineers to support the future fleet.
The pilot training hubs underline Airbus’ deep commitment to nurturing a comprehensive aerospace ecosystem in India. From manufacturing and engineering to digital innovation and maintenance, Airbus is actively building the foundations of long-term capability. A critical component of this strategy is human capital development as a cornerstone of India’s aviation boom.
Through targeted investments in skilling, training and human capital, Airbus is helping to build the essential backbone of an aerospace industry that will not only serve India’s growth story but also keep it aligned with global standards. These efforts are complemented by partnerships with leading academic institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a unique transport and logistics university based in western India, to develop curricula, fund R&D and create scholarships. These collaborations are designed to equip India’s young workforce with the competencies needed to power aerospace growth for decades to come.
