The new facility will work closely with Pratt & Whitney's centres across the globe. The IEC will focus on providing contract engineering services

All the major global aerospace companies are expected to make key announcements at this year's Farnborough Air Show, and Pratt & Whitney made a few of its own on the first day. Among them was its plan to set up an engineering centre in India, strengthening its ties with the country and making use of its vast engineering resources reports Gaurav Joshi of Simple Flying.

New Engineering Centre In Bangalore

Pratt & Whitney announced on Monday that it is setting up a state-of-the-art India Engineering Centre (IEC) in Bangalore. The US aerospace manufacturer made the announcement on the sidelines of the ongoing Farnborough Air Show and said that the centre is slated to commence operation in January 2023.

The IEC will focus on providing contract engineering services and is expected to employ 500 engineers and professionals when fully staffed. Geoff Hunt, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Pratt & Whitney, commented,

“Pratt & Whitney’s India Engineering Centre will be the first-of-its-kind investment for our company in India. The IEC will help Pratt & Whitney leverage the engineering skills our future Indian workforce will deliver, as Pratt & Whitney continues to advance the world’s only fielded geared turbofan and develop sustainable propulsion for the next generation of propulsion.”

Co-Located With Supply Chain Support Centre

The IEC will be co-located in Yelahanka, Bangalore where the company established the Pratt & Whitney India Capability Centre (ICC) earlier this year.

The ICC is a world-class global supply chain support and operations centre, established in 2022 as part of United Technologies Corporation India Pvt Ltd (UTCIPL), employing nearly 200.

The latest engineering centre will be integrated with Pratt & Whitney's global engineering operations and will work closely with the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Poland centres. The IEC has already started recruiting its first set of engineers and professionals.

Paul Weedon, executive director, Engineering, Pratt & Whitney Canada, has also welcomed the announcement and said that the IEC will allow them to synergize with existing Pratt & Whitney Operations' capabilities in India.

Pratt & Whitney In India

Pratt & Whitney has had a long-standing presence in India for almost seven decades. Its association with the country goes back to 1960 when Air India received delivery of its first Boeing 707 powered by Pratt & Whitney's JT3D engines.

Currently, its product portfolio in India spans across commercial aviation, regional/ business aviation, and military applications. Regarding the IEC, Ashmita Sethi, managing director of UTCIPL, said, “Pratt & Whitney’s growth in the country represents our strong ties and deep respect for the skills India offers, skills needed for the future of aviation.”

Indeed, with India slated to become the third-biggest aviation market soon and with all its engineering talent, Pratt & Whitney's increasing presence in the country seems to be a step in the right direction.