CAPA India and Vittal Innovation City (VIC) sign MoU to develop CAPA–VIC Aerospace City
CAPA India and Vittal Innovation City (VIC) announced today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-promote a high-technology aviation manufacturing, research and knowledge park to be known as CAPA-VIC Aerospace City.
The 750 acre aerospace park will form one of the industry clusters at VIC, which in total comprises 2650 acres located just 50 minutes from Bangalore International Airport. The site has been acquired by Global Emerging Markets, a USD3.4 billion alternative investment group, with offices in London, New York and Paris.
- CAPA India and Vittal Innovation City (VIC) have signed an MoU to co-promote CAPA-VIC Aerospace City, a high-technology aviation manufacturing, research, and knowledge park.
- The aerospace park will be located at VIC, a green technology and IPR safety zone focusing on aerospace, defense, and electronics, situated near Bangalore International Airport.
- The initiative aims to position India as a global center for excellence in aerospace by leveraging its strengths in research, manufacturing, and engineering.
- Proposed activities at CAPA-VIC Aerospace City include aerospace manufacturing, research and development, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), helicopter services, and education and training.
- The development of a 3.2km runway is planned to facilitate test flights, maintenance, and the establishment of a flying school.
- The project is supported by industry professionals, academicians, and a global advisory board, including Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani, and Ajai Chowdhry.
VIC, promoted by EMPI Innovation Parks, is India's first green technology & IPR safety zone focusing on aerospace, defence and electronics, and integrating industry, design, research and education, together with a high quality environment for working, living and learning. A strong focus on corporate social responsibility will include skills development opportunities for the local community.
The initiative is promoted by eminent industry professionals and academicians. The Chairman of VIC, N Vittal, is a former Secretary at the Ministries of Telecommunications and Information Technology, and is one of the architects of the reforms in those sectors which led to India's emergence as a competitive player in the new global economy. He was recently awarded the Padma Bhushan for his exceptional contribution to India's development.
A world class global advisory board is headed by one of India's most respected entrepreneurs, Narayana Murthy, chairman emeritus of Infosys Technologies, and includes Nandan Nilekani, chairman of the Unique Identification Authority, and Ajai Chowdhry, a founder and chairman of HCL Infosystems, one of India's leading technology enterprises.
CAPA, as the region's leading specialist advisory, research and knowledge practice, will bring together international aerospace operators, manufacturers and service providers. Global companies are increasingly looking at India as a potential outsourcing destination that can deliver best practice engineering at competitive benchmarks, especially in light of the large offset commitments that have arisen from civil and defence aircraft orders by the Government. India's pre-eminence as a leading science and technology nation makes it an ideal base for research, design and development. Meanwhile, the Government of India continues to evaluate the possibility of developing an indigenous regional aircraft programme.
Proposed activities at CAPA-VIC Aerospace City include:
- Aerospace manufacturing: Manufacturing of various aircraft components, equipment and eventually assembly and manufacturing of aircraft;
- Research and development: Aviation design, research and development for both civil and defence aircraft, addressing issues such as aircraft design, aerodynamics; composite structures, aviation and the environment, alternative fuels, noise emissions, travel technology, safety and accident prevention, human factors and air navigation services;
- Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO): Setting up of maintenance facilities for airframes, engines and components;
- Helicopter city: a dedicated enclave will be established to provide research, manufacturing, maintenance and support services across the value chain specifically for rotorcraft;
- Education and training: Development of a world class aviation and aerospace university, and international standard academies for pilots (ab initio flying and flight simulators), maintenance engineers, cabin crew and air traffic controllers, all of which will be in conjunction with CAPA's partner, Subramanya Construction and Development Company (SCDC). Education and training initiatives will also commence at centres in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai starting from the second half of FY2012/13.
CAPA-VIC Aerospace City has completed technical pre-feasibility studies for the development of a 3.2km runway which would facilitate test flights for aerospace manufacturers, enable aircraft to be flown in for maintenance, repair and overhaul and allow for the development of a world class flying school.
"India's demonstrated ability to deliver high quality research and manufacturing in various industries at relatively lower cost is a unique and valuable proposition. By transferring these strengths to the aerospace sector there exists the potential to position India as a global centre for excellence. We are very excited to be supporting this landmark initiative," stated Peter Harbison, executive chairman, CAPA - Centre for Aviation.
N Vittal, chairman, VIC, remarked, "We look forward to jointly developing with CAPA a state-of-the-art Aerospace City within VIC, which will bring together all elements of the aerospace value chain, from research and development, manufacturing, maintenance and ancillary support. All underpinned by skilled human resources developed through the co-location of high quality education and training institutions."
Note to editors:
About CAPA - Centre for Aviation
CAPA is the leading global aviation knowledge practice, delivering market analysis, research and data to support strategic decision making at most of the 500 largest organisations in international aviation. Established for more than 20 years, CAPA has developed an unrivalled reputation for independence, insight and integrity. CAPA opened a New Delhi office in 2003 and is now established as the premier aviation consulting and advisory practice in South Asia, supported by the region's first and largest dedicated aviation research and data desk.
CAPA continues to develop new initiatives to support the increasing sophistication and requirements of Indian aviation. CAPA AeroPark is a unique world class aviation education and training campus to support the huge skills development requirements of the industry across every discipline. As a pre-cursor, CAPA will launch an executive education series in Mumbai on 01-Nov-2012 to 03-Nov-2012 with Master Classes on issues such as leadership, strategic planning, finance and safety.
CAPA Ventures, a capital advisory service, arranges funding for aviation and tourism projects, while CAPA Analytics will be a knowledge process outsourcing centre, providing high speed data analytics for aviation operators, to support sales, revenue and marketing strategies and campaigns
CAPA India holds positions on numerous government and industry committees under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Prime Minister's Office, Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
CAPA Contacts
New Delhi Office:
Kapil Kaul, CEO South Asia
Tel: +91 11 2341 4440
Email: kk@centreforaviation.com
Head Office, Sydney:
Binit Somaia, Director South Asia
Tel: +61 2 9241 3200
Email: bs@centreforaviation.com
About Vittal Innovation City (VIC)
Vittal Innovation City was conceived with the vision "To create Innovation Driven Green Cities (IDGCTM), with the vision to transform economies, and act as a magnet to attract global talent." VIC is focused on driving innovation and manufacturing in the areas of Electronics, IT, Aerospace, Defense and Telecommunications. This manufacturing cluster is the first of its kind to promote an innovative technology transfer and IPR safety zone, through a regulatory compliance programme based on global best practices. This manufacturing cluster is envisaged as a melting pot of innovation, for building unique products and services for the global market. VIC's focus on the Strategic Electronics, Aerospace & Defense (SEAD) would be to:
- Provide world-class infrastructure for setting up research and development, special processes, "Centres of Excellence" in selected technology areas, incubation centres and a Technology Transfer Office;
- Create collaborative relationships between universities and colleges from all around the world to provide world class education in India;
- Provide world class training programmes leading to direct absorption of trained manpower into the domestic industry, by developing skills in engineering programmes, Quality Management Systems, Programme Management, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Leadership and special processes;
- Provide a single window for setting up world class manufacturing facilities at VIC against offset obligations of Original Equipment Manufacturers, IOPs or expansion of business;
- Provide for intellectual property rights and technology safety processes and awareness programmes in respect of transfer of technology.
- Facilitation of an offset investment fund.
After a rigorous study, it was decided to adapt a hybrid SEZ (Special Economic Zone) and DTA (Domestic Tariff Area) model as a cross-resourcing platform to develop this planned innovation eco-system for India.
Vittal Innovation City Contact:
Ajay Batra, PhD
President Strategic Electronics, Aerospace and Defence (SEAD)
Vittal Innovation City
Tel: +91 9910863666