- Nikhil Joshi on Navy Day: Boeing’s Commitment to India’s Maritime Security
New Delhi. 04 December 2024. On the occasion of Navy Day 2024, Nikhil Joshi, Managing Director of Boeing Defense India, speaks to Aviation and Defence Universe (ADU) about the company’s long-standing relationship with the Indian Navy. He highlights the pivotal role of Boeing’s advanced technologies and partnerships in enhancing the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy. From the game-changing P-8I fleet to Boeing’s commitment to indigenization under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the discussion delves into how Boeing is shaping the future of India’s maritime security and regional stability.
ADU. Boeing has a long-standing partnership with the Indian Navy. Can you elaborate on the significance of this relationship, particularly on the occasion of Navy Day?
Nikhil Joshi. Boeing has been a steadfast partner in India’s aerospace and defence sector for over 80 years, contributing significantly to its aviation industry and bolstering its defence forces’ modernization and mission readiness. It has been over a decade since the Indian Navy received its first P-8I aircraft, a game-changer in enhancing maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region. With a fleet of 12 aircraft operational in the Indian Navy, the P-8I fleet has surpassed 40,000 flight hours, consistently maintaining high readiness rates. These aircraft have played a pivotal role in reconnaissance and surveillance across the Indo-Pacific region. Our partnership helps support the Indian Navy’s enhanced capabilities and extended surveillance reach, enriching regional security. The success of the P8I is symbolic of an enduring alliance that promises to significantly contribute to enhanced maritime security in the Indo-Pacific over the coming years.
ADU. How does Boeing contribute to enhancing and supporting the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy?
Nikhil Joshi. Boeing plays a crucial role in maintaining the P-8I fleet’s high mission readiness. This includes providing 24/7 spares, repairs, and essential technical support through our field service representatives at INS Rajali and INS Hansa. Advanced training facilities like the Ashok Roy Training Simulator Complex at INS Rajali and the Kochi training complex reduce on-aircraft training time, enhancing mission proficiency for the Indian Navy. In 2021, Boeing launched the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) Hub, fostering partnerships with indigenous partners like Horizon Aerospace, Air Works, and AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL). These collaborations augment India’s MRO capabilities, aligning with the country’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and spurring economic growth in the sector. In 20222, Air Works successfully concluded Phase 32 maintenance checks on eight P-8I aircraft operated by the Indian Navy. Three of them were in heavy maintenance checks concurrently, demonstrating maturity and scale at par with developed global MRO hubs. Boeing’s investments, supplier network expansion, and establishment of MRO capabilities embody a long-term commitment to ensuring the success of India’s armed forces, as they continue to build their global prowess, including through the success of the P-8I aircraft.
ADU. The P-8I has been a game-changer for the Indian Navy and other naval fleets across the globe. Could you highlight its capabilities in bolstering maritime surveillance & anti-submarine warfare?
Nikhil Joshi. The P-8s Indian variant, referred to as P-8I, is an aircraft designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The P-8 delivers the highest levels of quality, reliability, and operability. A true multi-mission aircraft, it is defined by a unique combination of state-of-the-art sensors, proven weapons systems, and a globally recognized platform. Notably, the Indian Navy was the first international customer for the P-8 and today operates the second-largest non-U.S. fleet. The P-8 is engineered for 25 years of operations in the harshest maritime flight regimes, including extended operations in icing environments. The P-8, a proven system with over 160 aircraft in service worldwide, is garnering interest from several other countries considering its capabilities. A true multi-mission aircraft, it boasts a unique combination of state-of-the-art sensors, proven weapons systems, and a globally recognized platform. Along with the Indian Navy, the P-8 family includes the U.S. Navy, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Norwegian Air Force, and Royal New Zealand Air Force. The P8 platform is constantly being upgraded and remains relevant and future-ready. Other militaries that have recently selected the P-8 include the Republic of Korea Navy and the German Navy.
ADU. How is Boeing planning to keep the P-8I fleet in India at the cutting edge of technology, and how is it leveraging advanced technologies like AI, data analytics, and autonomous systems to enhance naval operations?
Nikhil Joshi. In January 2024, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the new state-of-the-art Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center (BIETC) campus in Bengaluru. Built with an investment of INR. 1,600 crores, the 43-acre campus is Boeing’s largest such investment outside the U.S. and will become a cornerstone for partnering with India on next-generation products and services for the global aerospace and defense industry. The centre houses a talented pool of 5,500+ engineers and innovators across Bengaluru and Chennai who are helping drive innovation in aerospace. These technologists undertake high-quality, advanced aerospace work and offer engineering expertise to Boeing’s defence, space, and commercial businesses, spanning engineering design of structures and systems, manufacturing support, developing systems to test our aircraft, and providing digital solutions to our airline customers. Cutting-edge R&D in traditional and emerging areas is performed at the centre, including next-generation airplane health management, environment-friendly coatings, advanced networks, and secure communications where teams leverage new-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet-of-Things, Cloud, Model-Based Engineering, and Additive Manufacturing through our offerings like Next Generation Product Support (NGPS), to enhance quality, safety, and productivity, and above all, mission capability and readiness. In India, Boeing is driving innovation that is transforming the aerospace and defence sector, and we are proud that our team here is now an integral part of the Boeing global engineering ecosystem and India’s global technology capabilities.
ADU. How has Boeing’s commitment to its Indian supplier network driven growth in sourcing and advanced manufacturing?
Nikhil Joshi. Boeing’s long-standing commitment of over 80 years in the defence and aerospace sector surpasses that of any other foreign OEM and sets it apart as a steadfast and reliable partner. In the context of the renewed emphasis on bilateral collaboration, Boeing finds itself uniquely positioned to help drive co-development in the future given our track record of championing India’s “Make in India” and “Skill India” vision through investments in manufacturing, co-production, co-development, skilling and training, and engineering and innovation. Boeing’s substantial infrastructure investments aimed at bolstering the mission readiness of the Indian armed forces are exemplified by the world-class C-17 MRO and training facility at Hindon and the comprehensive P-8I training facility at Rajali. These strategic investments will continue to play a pivotal role in fortifying Boeing’s status as the leading foreign OEM making in India, that is engineering in India, and sourcing from India.
ADU. Are there plans to expand Boeing’s support for the MRO footprint in India to support naval operations?
Nikhil Joshi. Boeing recently partnered with AIESL to provide in-country overhaul services of critical components for the Indian Navy’s fleet of 12 Boeing P-8I aircraft. As part of the partnership, the first landing gear overhaul of a P-8I aircraft was recently completed at INS Rajali. This is a first in India and reflects the growth in India’s indigenous capabilities for undertaking complex MRO services. Through this partnership with AIESL, we continue to make strategic investments in India’s MRO capabilities that enhance mission readiness rates for the Indian Navy. Developing local MRO capabilities is critical for reducing repair turnaround time and aircraft downtime, thereby improving the mission readiness of customer fleets. The Boeing India – AIESL partnership is the latest development under the BIRDS hub program.
The BIRDS hub is a local network of suppliers working to build a robust MRO ecosystem for defence and commercial aircraft, which aims to establish industry benchmarks in India for maintenance and repair, platform availability, customer satisfaction, and rapid turnaround time. An important aspect of the hub is training programs to increase skilled manpower by developing sub-tier suppliers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to build top-tier MRO capabilities in India.
ADU. How does Boeing’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and indigenization efforts reflect its support for India’s maritime security and regional stability goals?
Nikhil Joshi. As India honours the valour and dedication of its maritime forces on the Navy Day, Boeing takes pride in its enduring partnership with the Indian Navy. In an era marked by evolving geopolitical dynamics and the imperative of regional stability, the Indian Ocean region has become a focal point, calling for robust maritime collaboration among nations. Boeing’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat is unwavering. We have achieved substantial indigenization in the manufacturing and sustainment of the P-8I, with an economic impact of $1.7 billion already generated to support the current fleet. Furthermore, Boeing envisions that increasing the P-8I fleet to 18 aircraft will increase investments, by approximately $1.5 billion, while creating further indigenization opportunities within India’s aerospace and defence sector by 2032. This aligns with the nation’s self-reliance and economic growth goals.
As told to Sangeeta Saxena
