PM Modi inaugurates Boeing’s largest investment outside USA

New Delhi, Jan 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Boeing India Engineering & Technology Centre (BIETC) campus in Bengaluru.

This 43-acre campus, built with a substantial investment of Rs 1,600 crores, stands as Boeing's largest such investment outside the USA.

During the inauguration, the Prime Minister also launched the Boeing Sukanya Programme, aimed at fostering increased participation of girl children from across India in the country’s burgeoning aviation sector.

COO of Boeing Company, Stephanie Pope, praised the Prime Minister's focus on the growth of the aviation sector in India and applauded his instrumental role in bringing the Boeing Sukanya Program to fruition.

She expressed gratitude for the continued support and looked forward to working together to shape the future of aerospace. Ms Stephanie highlighted the significance of the new campus, stating, "This new campus is a testament to Boeing’s engineering legacy and underlines the belief in the availability, depth of talent, and capability that exists in India."

She elaborated on the campus's scope and Boeing’s plan to create an ecosystem propelling India to the forefront of the aerospace industry. Ms Stephanie underscored the transformative nature of the new Boeing campus, aligning with the Prime Minister's vision of a self-reliant India or ‘Atmanirbharta’.

Stephanie credited the Prime Minister for conceiving the Sukanya program and praised Boeing’s efforts to create opportunities for Indian women in aviation. She remarked, “This program will break barriers and inspire more women to pursue careers in aerospace.”

In his address, the Prime Minister emphasized Bengaluru's role as a city connecting aspirations to innovations, India’s tech potential to global demands, and how Boeing's new technology campus would strengthen this connection. He highlighted that the newly inaugurated campus is Boeing’s largest facility located outside the USA, reinforcing not only India’s strength but also the global aviation market.

The Prime Minister stated, “This facility demonstrates India’s commitment to drive global tech, research & innovation, design, and demand. This strengthens the ‘Make in India-Make for the World’ resolution.” He expressed faith that one day, India will design aircraft of the future in this facility.

Discussing the government’s efforts to increase women’s participation in every sector, the Prime Minister reiterated India’s push towards women-led development during its G20 Presidency. He announced the government's commitment to creating new opportunities for women in the aerospace sector, noting that 15 percent of India’s pilots are women, three times more than the global average.

Regarding the Boeing Sukanya program, the Prime Minister said it would boost women’s participation in the aviation sector and help those in far-flung areas realize their dreams of becoming a pilot.

He highlighted India’s success in the aviation sector, becoming the world’s third-largest domestic market, with the number of domestic passengers doubling in a decade. Schemes like UDAN played a significant role, leading to increased demand and new orders of fleets by Indian airlines, thereby giving impetus to the global aviation sector.

The Prime Minister also touched upon the government's efforts to reduce taxes related to aviation fuel and simplify Aircraft Leasing, emphasizing that the entire aviation sector in the country would benefit from these measures.

Closing his address, the Prime Minister invited Boeing and other international companies to link their growth with India's rapid rise. He expressed confidence in a strong partnership between India's aspirations and Boeing’s expansion recalling his declaration from the Red Fort, ‘Yahi Samay hai, Sahi Samay Hai’, the Prime Minister said that this is also the right time for Boeing and others international companies to link their growth with India's rapid rise. “I am confident that India's aspirations and Boeing’s expansion will emerge as a strong partnership.”