Bengaluru / Hosur – Merlinhawk Composites and Engineering Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between Merlinhawk Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., India, and Vega Composites, Italy, March 31 marked an important milestone with the ceremonial pooja ahead of the commissioning of its advanced composites manufacturing facility at Shoolagiri in the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor.
The state-of-the-art facility will focus on the manufacture of advanced composite aero structures and materials for aerospace and defence applications, supporting both domestic programmes and international aerospace supply chains. The formal inauguration of the facility is tentatively scheduled for mid-April 2026.
The facility represents a significant step in strengthening India’s capabilities in high-performance composite manufacturing, an increasingly critical technology for next-generation aircraft, unmanned systems, radar structures, and mission-critical defence platforms.
Speaking on the occasion, R Ramachandra Rao, Founder and Managing Director, Merlinhawk Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., said, “The establishment of this facility marks an important milestone in Merlinhawk’s journey to build globally competitive aerospace manufacturing capabilities from India. Through our partnership with Vega Composites, we are combining international expertise in advanced materials with India’s growing engineering and manufacturing ecosystem. This initiative aligns strongly with the national vision of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, while positioning India as a credible hub for high-performance aerospace manufacturing.”
The Shoolagiri facility has been designed as a globally compliant manufacturing centre, incorporating advanced composite production technologies, specialised cleanroom environments, precision machining, and aerospace-grade quality systems. The initiative is expected to contribute to the development of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor as a strategic hub for aerospace and defence manufacturing.
Commenting on the development, Commodore (Retd.) Bharat Bhushan Nagpal, Chief Executive Officer, Merlinhawk Composites and Engineering Pvt. Ltd., said, “Advanced composite materials are central to the future of aerospace and defence engineering. This facility brings together global technology collaboration, particularly with our Italian partners, and India’s rapidly evolving manufacturing capabilities. Our objective is to build a globally competitive composite manufacturing platform that supports both Indian defence programmes and international aerospace customers.”
Beyond manufacturing infrastructure, the facility is expected to contribute to skill development in advanced materials engineering, creating opportunities for specialised training and capability development in the region.
The upcoming commissioning of the Merlinhawk Composites facility represents a strategic expansion of Merlinhawk’s broader aerospace ecosystem, complementing its existing capabilities in avionics, microwave systems, embedded solutions, and integrated aerospace manufacturing services.
