New Delhi: Indian Railways’ Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) Vadodara and Airbus have entered into a landmark collaboration to significantly strengthen the Indian aviation sector. Building upon the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September 2023, a definitive agreement was signed today at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. The agreement was inked between Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, and Prof. Manoj Choudhary, Vice-Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.
The signing ceremony was graced by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and IT, who also serves as the First Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya. Also present were Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ravneet Singh, Minister of State for Railways, Jaya Varma Sinha, Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and senior officials from the Railway Board.
The agreement includes a full scholarship program for 40 GSV students, the establishment of a Centre of Excellence at GSV, and the creation of the Airbus Aviation Chair Professor position at GSV. Additionally, GSV and Airbus will collaborate on executive training for aviation sector professionals.
Speaking at the event, Ashwini Vaishnaw remarked, “Today marks the conversion from MoU to actual action. Congratulations to GSV and Airbus. This partnership aligns with Prime Minister Modi ji’s vision of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas.’ We will continue to collaborate across all transportation sectors to drive comprehensive development.”
Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu highlighted the rapid growth of the civil aviation sector in India, noting the doubling of airports from 74 to 157 in the last decade. He emphasized the ministry’s commitment to supporting GSV in launching advanced programs, including Masters and Ph.D. courses.
Ravneet Singh commended the initiative, predicting an increase in job creation and a reduction in brain drain.
Rémi Maillard of Airbus underscored the company’s growing presence in India, with 3,500 full-time employees and a supply chain supporting an additional 15,000 jobs. He announced plans for two new Final Assembly Lines in India, including one for the C295 military aircraft in Vadodara and another for the H125 helicopter. The C295 program alone is expected to support 25,000 direct and indirect jobs in India.
Prof. Manoj Choudhary, Vice-Chancellor of GSV, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “This pioneering collaboration with Airbus will significantly advance GSV’s vision to be an industry-driven and innovation-led university. It sets a benchmark for industry-academia collaboration in India.”
Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, established by an Act of Parliament in 2022, aims to create world-class talent for the transportation and logistics sectors. Sponsored by the Ministry of Railways, the university is dedicated to fulfilling the mandates of national development plans such as the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan 2021 and the National Logistics Policy 2022.
This collaboration marks a pivotal step in advancing India’s aviation sector, promising substantial contributions to the nation’s economic growth and technological advancements.