Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews , Delhi February 4, 2019 Indian efforts to grow its aviation infrastructure have been boosted by the 2016 National Civil Aviation Policy but challenges persist, Airports Council International (ACI) World Director General Angela Gittens told   Jane’s in an exclusive interview. Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Aviation Summit in Mumbai, Gittens urged Indian airports to focus on “accommodating growth and securing sustainable and good customer service”.,,,Read more JAR 1735867 Angela Gittens, ACI World Director General, spoke to Jane’s in January during the Global Aviation Summit in Mumbai. ( Neelam Mathews ) ...more in JAR Follow us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter   Follow us on LinkedIn   Follow us on YouTube  

by   Neelam Mathews  April 16, 2016 Recognizing the need for a regulatory framework for operating civilian unmanned aerial systems ( UAS s), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FICCI ) has provided India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation initial guidelines that it hopes will form the basis of legislation. The final policy is expected to be released by year-end, Rajiv Nayan Choubey, India's secretary for the Ministry of Civil Aviation, confirmed to  AIN  recently. Currently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation permits only government agencies to fly  UAS s in India. The Indian Space Research Organization has made a start to open operations to others by filing a request for proposal ( RFP ) for exploratory studies using  UAS s for remote sensing. An unidentified  U.S.  company is believed to have received a separate  RFP  from the Gas Authority of India for using  UAS s to inspect a ...

Neelam Mathews Oct 5, 2014 It is that time of the year again when exhibitors and guests start to schedule their calendars, start to tear their hair, grit their teeth, and down an upper or a stiff swig. Why, you ask me? Time to look at the aero india website and hope like hell everything is in order, that rates have not gone up again just because the dollar has, and visas will not be a pain as they usually are. Hate to disappoint you, but by the looks of it, you, dear guests better brace once again for tough times to attend the mega event from Feb 18-22 2015. Yes, the site looks sexier, has a whole lot of links to government sites, which I suggest you look at later as they will take you on a roller-coaster journey as they are meant to. An exhibitor luckier than I was, managed to access the Rates and was flabbergasted. “This is more expensive than the Singapore Air Show where we get a lot of business done. If India wants to attract investment, they should stop making th...

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW  »  2014 by    NEELAM MATHEWS July 14, 2014, 7:00 AM A slowdown in reforms in India over the past five years–and a virtual pause in procurement–may be about to change following renewed optimism and confidence as the new government shows, for the moment at least, that it is serious. As hectic activity takes place in the ministries of commerce, finance and defense, increasing manufacturing, exports and foreign direct investment ( FDI ) are focus areas of the new regime. A proposal to increase  FDI  levels from the present 26 percent to 49 percent, and possibly later, 74 percent for transfer of production (build to print) and 100 percent in the case of a single-source-hub transfer, including transfer of technology, is being viewed with interest. While India has moved steadily in automobile and automotive components manufacturing, with auto giants leveraging the country’s strengths in  I...

Neelam Mathews Feb 23, 2013 Wonder of wonders, I don't know whether to laugh or cry ( tears of joy) that FICCI has released the dates for the Hyderabad India Aviation show! So before I start to get disrespectful, I think a  a record may have been broken in our country. Unlike in the past- disdainful to the needs of visitors and exhibitors- rarely do organizers announce dates for an event so much ahead of time. Oh yes, the dates are March 12-16, 2014 at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad. Hope to see one and all there. Hopefully, memory of the present bombings will be behind us and FICCI will be in a position to attract many more exhibitors and a good mix of participants. Now, one can hope that the agenda too will come on time, unlike Aero India, where interviews were fixed at the last minute and one was moving around like a headless chicken.

AIN NEWS LIVE FROM AEROINDIA  »  2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS February 7, 2013, 11:32 AM India lost 9 percent of its airline seat capacity as a result of Kingfisher suspending operations since October 1, 2012, when its 66-aircraft fleet was grounded, according to Dinesh Keskar, Boeing’s senior sales vice president for Asia Pacific and India. Speaking at the Aero India show in Bangalore this week, Keskar said that in the short term, with capacity still constrained, profit margins will improve for some airlines, but that some low-cost carriers may find themselves negatively impacted because traffic growth is slowing. “Supply and demand is [now] in balance and India is seeing steady growth,” he commented. Boeing says it still believes in its most recent Current Market Outlook, which sees Indian airlines needing 1,450 new airplanes valued at $175 billion over the next 20 years. Outstanding orders from the Indian market for Boeing include 21 787...

Following our story, FICCI has said it will be collaborating with MoD and has written to potential exhibitors for their space requirements.

Neelam Mathews Oct 1,2012 As the clock ticks with just 113 days left for Aero India, our premier defense show, Aerospace Diary learns CII has not addressed the RFP for event management. No decision has been made as yet on who will be the event manager though word has it FICCI and IQPC may be front runners. Aerospace Diary could not confirm this. Only in India can we be so lethargic, blissfully unaware and so sure of running a world-class show with such arrogance. When our planners go to attend shows abroad with our tax money, it might do them so good to check out how the other nations run their shows, what really goes into it and how much advance time is required for planning and coordination. Is it little wonder then, that we have the world's worst washrooms to showcase at an event attended by top officials of the world. And ofcourse, set an example of how not to offer the best facilities to people paying through their nose? Hopefully, the issuance of passes will be mor...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews June 21, 2012 India’s first “MAKE Program has been approved by the Ministry of Defense as part of its impetus to indigenisation by finalizing two development partners for Tactical Communication Systems (TCS). Alongside, Bharat Electronics in the public sector, MoD has selected a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Company formed by three private sector defence majors. Led by L&T, the SPV includes Tata Power SED and HCL Infosystems Limited. Among the few programs currently classified in the "Make" category, TCS is the first one to have reached this stage of finalisation of development partners and also the first-ever program where three major private sector companies have come together to form a consortium, under the leadership of one company, setting aside individual interests to synergize their capabilities, with a common goal of developing an Indian solution for this strategically important program. FICCI says it believes that this approach dem...

Aerospace Daily July 27, 2010 FUNDING & POLICY NEW DELHI – As foreign vendors await an increase in the current cap of 26% in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Indian defense sector, the native industry has raised its voice emphatically in opposing any increase. The industry has also called for a level playing field in being permitted to apply for tenders in every defense project. There are currently certain levels of sensitive areas that only government-owned companies are permitted to bid against. Labor unions and more than 40 ordnance factories owned by the government would be in jeopardy if the private sector was allowed to bid for all projects, a government "The purpose should be indigenization,” says the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), an organization that represents private companies. “In the U.S. there is a technology denial regime” to sharing know-how abroad, says Amit Mitra, the federation’s secretary general. At the ...