Aerospace engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney plans to expand its supplier base in India to enhance the sourcing of parts and services from the country during the next five years.

Ashmita Sethi, President & Country Head of Pratt & Whitney (PW), told businessline that the aim is to source nearly about $150 million worth of parts and services annually by 2030.

The aerospace major, she said, has been working with Indian suppliers for over a decade in machining and assembly.

“We have sourced nearly $55 million in the past 10 years from India,” Sethi said.

Additionally, the aerospace major has sourced over $500 million in engineering services from India over the past two decades.

“We aim to expand our sourcing in India and expect it to reach nearly $150 million annually by 2030,” she added.

Besides sourcing, the company has made investments in India that are focused on engineering, training, supply chain, digital capabilities and innovation in aerospace and defence sectors.

“In the past two years, we have made a combined $40 million investment in the India Engineering Center (IEC) and the India Capability Center (ICC) in Bengaluru,” She said.

Customer service centre

In 2024, PW also announced the establishment of a new customer service centre in Bengaluru.

“This new centre is part of PW’s India Capability Center (ICC) and will drive customer service and operations support for Pratt & Whitney Canada’s 68,000 engines in service,” she said.

“The centre’s customers are expected to include Indian and global airlines, original equipment manufacturers, MROs, regulatory bodies and small operators.”

Earlier, PW made a flagship investment to establish the India Customer Training Centre in Hyderabad in 2015.

Furthermore, PW remains open to exploring MRO opportunities in India, Sethi said, adding that it will come up “at the right time, based on factors such as the business case, competitive labour, and the import of parts.”

“An aircraft engine MRO is a highly specialised operation. India has the talent and capability for it,” she said.

Earlier, the aviation regulator DGCA had asked the aerospace major to consider opening an MRO in the country to take care of the GTF engine issues marring airlines whose aircraft depend on these powerhouses.

At one stage last year, IndiGo had to ground nearly 70 aircraft powered by GTF engines. That number has since fallen below 50, as the availability of engines has been consistent.

GoFirst had also earlier blamed PW while filing for insolvency, a claim the company has denied.

To correct the situation, PW on a global level has expanded its GTF MRO capacity within its own shops and with network partners to implement new technologies for increasing operational efficiency.

According to Sethi, the GTF MRO network worldwide now has 18 active sites globally, with plans for an additional shop to come online by 2025, bringing the total to 19.