How plane maker Boeing plans to leverage emerging tech in India

Aerospace major Boeing is expanding its engineering and technology centre in Bengaluru to include the use of newer technologies for design, manufacturing and other services, The Economic Times reported.

Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETEC) will focus on areas such as Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, data analytics, enterprise resource planning and software design for aerospace among other areas, according to the report.

The centre will also get a lab for IoT and analytics & mobility, a 3DX lab for 3D experiences and a system integration lab for testing proofs-of-concept.

The expansion, part of the next planned phase, will see BIETEC making space for another 1,000 employees, according to the report.

The report added that the firm will end up employing more than 2,500 employees in all, who will all specialise in engineering and research and development (R&D).

The centre, which was inaugurated a year ago, will also double in size from the 1.6 lakh sq ft it currently occupies.

“We see India as a hotbed for path-breaking software solutions that can redefine the way the world designs, operates and manages airplanes,” Ted Colbert, Boeing’s chief information officer and senior vice-president of IT and data analytics, was quoted as saying. "The IT talent and capabilities available in India will be an enabler for Boeing’s success across the world.”

Colbert said that the centre will also look into aerospace materials, manufacturing, aircraft structures and health of airplanes.

“This centre brings together engineers from the fields of aerospace, computer science and mathematics, who will collaborate to achieve next-gen breakthroughs for aircraft design, manufacturing and maintenance,” Pratyush Kumar, president - Boeing India, was quoted as saying. 

Headquartered in Delhi, Boeing’s India operations also include field service offices in Mumbai, Hindan, Rajali and New Delhi. 

Boeing subsidiary, Jeppesen—a provider of flight navigation solutions—is located  in Hyderabad. Another subsidiary, Continental Data Graphics (CDG) in Chennai, is also expanding its footprint in the country.