TG to emerge as India’s aero-engine capital by 2030: Sridhar Babu

Hyderabad: Telanganais positioning itself to become India’s aero-engine capital by 2030, Minister for IT and Industries Duddilla Sridhar Babu said.

Speaking at the ‘Empowering Atmanirbhar Bharat: India’s Aerospace & Defence Manufacturing Summit’ held at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad on Saturday, the Minister said the State government is preparing a comprehensive roadmap to develop a globally competitive aerospace and defence ecosystem in collaboration with leading industries and academic institutions.

He noted that foundational initiatives taken by earlier Congress governments had enabled Telangana to evolve into a strategic defence hub, giving the State an advantage in building an end-to-end ecosystem.

The Minister said the rapid geopolitical developments and supply chain disruptions worldwide have made countries look towards credible and dependable partners like India, and Telangana intends to leverage this shift with focus and preparedness.

India’s defence production crossed R1.5 lakh crore last year, while defence exports recorded 12 per cent growth, he said these trends reflect rising global trust in India’s capabilities.

The Minister said as part of Telangana’s long-term vision, the government is integrating the Aerospace and Defence sector as a critical component in its goal of becoming a $3 trillion economy by 2047.

The State currently hosts more than 25 major national and international A&D companies and over 1,500 MSMEs that are strengthening the Telangana brand in global markets. Telangana’s aerospace exports stood at Rs 15,900 crore in 2023–24, and surged to Rs 30,742 crore in just the first nine months of 2024–25, demonstrating the sector’s accelerated growth, he said.

Sridhar Babu highlighted key investments that are expanding the State’s manufacturing capacity. The Tata–Safran aero-engine facility at Adibatla, built with an investment of Rs 425 crore, has recently become operational. The State will soon see the commissioning of the JSW Defence UAV manufacturing unit (Rs 800 crore) and premier explosives’ new defence production facility (Rs 500 crore). Several other global companies are in advanced discussions to invest in Telangana, he said. The summit was attended by Hero Enterprises chairman Sunil Kant Munjal, ISB Dean Prof P Madan, Prof. Chandan Chowdhury and other senior representatives from industry and academia.