GE Aerospace Announces Plans to Double Supplier Spend in India by 2030, Supporting Nation’s Aviation Growth

Global aviation giant GE Aerospace has officially announced plans to nearly double its supplier spend in India from 2025 (approximately USD 200 million) to roughly USD 400 million by 2030. The announcement coincided with the release of an Ernst & Young (EY) report titled “Powering Progress: GE Aerospace’s Economic Impact in India”, which presents the first comprehensive evaluation of GE Aerospace’s 40-year footprint across India’s commercial aviation, defense, manufacturing, and engineering sectors. Unveiled at the industry gathering “India Taking Flight – Aviation, Innovation and the Road to Viksit Bharat 2047”, the report highlights that GE Aerospace and its partner engines power the majority of India’s commercial fleet (over 1,400 engines as of December 2025), supporting an ecosystem that sustains an estimated 370,000 direct jobs.

Leadership Perspective and Long-Term Projections:
Commenting on the strategic expansion, Vikram Rai, CEO, South Asia, GE Aerospace, stated: “India’s commercial aviation growth is one of the fastest in the world, and today’s report shows that our commitment here goes far beyond selling engines. It’s in the components machined in Pune, the innovation in Bengaluru, and our trusted customers, who are building the next generation of India’s aerospace industry. As India works towards its Viksit Bharat ambitions, doubling our spend to grow the supply chain ecosystem will help meet the growing demand.”

With domestic passenger traffic projected to swell to 1.1 billion by 2040 (up from 340 million in FY26) and the nationwide network of airports targeted to expand from 163 to over 350 by 2047, India and South Asia are forecasted to require 3,300 additional aircraft (or 6,600 engines) by 2044. Notably, GE Aerospace and its joint venture partner engines are expected to power most of the  1,500 new aircraft currently on order by Indian carriers presenting a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) opportunity valued at over USD 5.5 billion.

Manufacturing Footprint, Defense Ties, and Engineering R&D:
GE Aerospace’s presence in India is anchored across three critical pillars:

Manufacturing Ecosystem: Supported by its flagship USD 200 million Pune facility where USD 55 million has been invested since 2024 in automation and precision technology GE Aerospace leverages a domestic supplier network of 17 major partners (including SME entities) and over 2,000 local suppliers.

Defense & Atmanirbhar Bharat: Partnering with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) since 1986, GE Aerospace powers the Tejas Mk1 (via F404-IN20 engines). Progress continues under a 2023 MoU for potential domestic manufacturing of F414 engines for the Tejas Mk2, alongside a 5-year Performance Based Logistics contract for Apache helicopter engines and an in-country depot for F404 engines.

Bengaluru Technology Centre: Established in 2000 as a pioneer R&D hub outside the U.S., the centre holds over 1,000 aviation patents. Its engineering team contributes directly to global engines like the GE9X, GE90, GEnx, and CFM RISE technology demonstration program.