Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya Vadodara and Airbus sign definitive agreement to strengthen Indian aviation sector

New Delhi: In a bid to strengthen the Indian aviation sector, Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) Vadodara and Airbus on Friday inked a definitive cooperation agreement. The partnership is a continuation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in September 2023 and was formalised at Rail Bhawan in the national capital. The agreement includes a full scholarship programme for 40 GSV students, setting up of a Centre of Excellence at GSV and creation of Airbus Aviation Chair at the university.

In addition, GSV and Airbus will collaborate on training programmes for executives and professionals in the aviation sector.

The event was also attended by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation.

Vaishnaw highlighted the importance of this partnership, stating, “Today marks the transition from MoU to actual operations. Congratulations to GSV and AIRBUS. Whatever was promised has been delivered.”He also emphasised on the vision and need to develop all transport sectors, including aviation, highways, railways and road transport.

Naidu expressed delight at signing the MoU with Airbus and noted the rapid growth of the civil aviation sector in India, where the number of airports has almost doubled from 74 to 157 in the last ten years.

He also mentioned the Udaan scheme and inclusion of Tier II and Tier III cities in the aviation map. He pledged the support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the advancement of GSV in the aviation sector and encouraged the university to start masters and doctoral programmes.

Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, highlighted Airbus’ significant presence in India, where the company employs 3,500 full-time staff and supports an additional 15,000 supply chain jobs.

He also mentioned the company’s plans to double its supplies from India and set up two final assembly lines in the country: one for the C295 military aircraft in Vadodara and the other for the H125 helicopter.

Established by an Act of Parliament in 2022, GSV Vadodara is a central university sponsored by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, with Ashwini Vaishnaw as its first Chancellor. The university is committed to creating best-in-class manpower and talent for the transport and logistics sectors, in line with national development plans such as Prime Minister Gati Shakti National Master Plan 2021 and National Logistics Policy 2022.

The collaboration between GSV and Airbus marks a significant step forward in the development of the Indian aerospace sector and is expected to help drive innovation, skill development and research in the field.