Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt. Ltd. (MASPL), part of the Mahindra Group, has secured a multi-year contract from Airbus to manufacture and supply fuselage skins for its A320 family of aircraft. According to reports from Outlook Business, Rediff Moneynews, and ETManufacturing, the deal further strengthens the long-standing partnership between the two companies and gives another boost to India's growing role in the global aerospace industry. Under the agreement, Mahindra Aerostructures will manufacture fuselage skins for Sections 18 and 19 of the Airbus A320neo and A321XLR aircraft, covering the rear part of the aircraft including the tail area. The components will be produced at the company's facility in Bengaluru and then supplied to Airbus' manufacturing facility in Augsburg, Germany. As per ETManufacturing, this marks another important step in the company's relationship with Airbus and further strengthens Mahindra Aerostructures' role in the global aerospace supply chain.
The contract includes the production of eight fuselage skins for Section 18 and three for Section 19 of each aircraft. As reported by Outlook Business, Rediff Moneynews, and ETManufacturing, initial manufacturing engineering work, including tooling design, process-flow updates, qualification and inspection, is already underway. The components will be manufactured at the company's facility in Bengaluru and then shipped to Airbus Aerostructures' plant in Augsburg, Germany. Engineering work, including tooling design, process updates, testing and inspection, has already started, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028. The contract will require Mahindra Aerostructures to add specialised production capabilities, including advanced chemical milling, surface treatment and stretch-forming lines. Stretch forming is a key process used to shape aircraft skin panels, which account for a substantial part of an aircraft's aerostructure. The new order, along with a recently awarded roll-forming contract from Airbus, is part of Mahindra Aerostructures' plan to gradually develop the capability to manufacture larger fuselage sections in the future.
According to Outlook Business, Rediff Moneynews, and ETManufacturing, Vinod Sahay, President of Mahindra Aerospace, Advanced Technologies and Trucks & Buses, described the contract as another important step in the company's relationship with Airbus. He highlighted that producing fuselage skins requires advanced technology, precision and specialised manufacturing capabilities. As part of a multi-year industrialisation plan, Mahindra Aerostructures will expand its specialised manufacturing capabilities for the programme. The company plans to add production lines for chemical milling, surface treatment and stretch-forming at its Bengaluru facility to meet Airbus' requirements. As per ETManufacturing, the company would invest in specialised technologies and manufacturing infrastructure to develop these capabilities in India, with the programme's multi-year industrialisation roadmap focusing on expanding specialised manufacturing infrastructure. Sahay emphasised that "through investments in specialised technologies and manufacturing infrastructure, we will build critical capabilities in India and support Airbus' requirements from our Bengaluru facility."
As reported by Outlook Business, Rediff Moneynews, and ETManufacturing, Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, said the new contract demonstrates the precision-engineering capabilities available in India. He added that producing complex aircraft components in Bengaluru will help strengthen India's position in Airbus' global supply chain and support the country's 'Make in India' vision. According to ETManufacturing, Westermeier stated that by manufacturing complex components for Airbus' A320neo and A321XLR aircraft directly out of Bengaluru, Mahindra is playing a pivotal role in deepening India's aerospace footprint and further driving the vision of 'Make in India' on the global stage. The contract builds on an existing relationship between Airbus and Mahindra Aerostructures, which has previously received work to manufacture and assemble main fuselages for Airbus' H125 and H130 helicopters, and supply various components for Airbus' commercial aircraft programmes. The latest contract adds to the growing list of work that Mahindra Aerostructures is doing for Airbus, with the deal coming as Airbus increases its sourcing from India, where it currently procures more than USD 1.6 billion worth of components and services each year.
