DGT Plans NCoE for Aeronautics and Allied Sectors in Kanpur Under PM-SETU

In a significant push toward strengthening India’s aerospace manufacturing and advanced industrial workforce, the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has initiated plans to establish a National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Aeronautics and Allied Sectors at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Kanpur.

The proposed centre, being developed under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme, is envisioned as a high-end industry-integrated skilling hub aimed at creating a globally competitive aerospace workforce aligned with India’s expanding aviation and defence manufacturing ambitions.

High-Level Industry Consultation Held at NSTI Kanpur

The proposal was discussed during a major industry consultation chaired by MSDE Secretary Ms. Debashree Mukherjee at NSTI Kanpur.

The meeting was attended by:

• DGT Director General Dilip Kumar

• Senior DGT officials

• Uttar Pradesh vocational education representatives

• Industry leaders

• Multilateral development institutions

More than 25 organisations from sectors including defence aerospace, civil aviation, advanced manufacturing and precision engineering participated in the consultation.

Aerospace and Defence Giants Join Skill Development Initiative

The consultation witnessed participation from some of India’s leading aerospace and defence manufacturing companies, including:

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

• Dassault Aviation India

• Tata Advanced Systems

• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

• L&T Precision Engineering

• Adani Skill Development Centre

• Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited

Other industrial and institutional participants included:

• Honda Motors

• JK Cement

• NAMTECH

• ICICI Foundation

• AVPL International

• Innovision Limited

• Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• World Bank

The broad participation reflects growing industry interest in building a skilled workforce capable of supporting India’s rapidly expanding aerospace and defence ecosystem.

Industry to Play Central Role in Training Design

A major focus of the discussions was ensuring direct industry participation in shaping the proposed training ecosystem.

Stakeholders deliberated on collaboration in areas such as:

• Curriculum development

• Industry-aligned training delivery

• Infrastructure support

• Apprenticeship integration

• Technology exposure

• Skill certification frameworks

Officials emphasized that the proposed NCoE will be developed through active industry collaboration to ensure training programmes remain aligned with evolving technological and manufacturing demands in the aerospace sector.

India Building Aerospace Workforce for Future Manufacturing Expansion

The Ministry highlighted that the NCoE is intended to strengthen India’s capabilities in:

• Aeronautics

• Advanced manufacturing

• Precision engineering

• Aerospace assembly

• Aviation technologies

• Defence production support

Officials noted that India’s aerospace ecosystem is rapidly expanding due to:

• Defence indigenisation

• Growth in aircraft manufacturing

• Expansion of MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) services

• Increased private-sector participation

• Rising global supply-chain diversification

The government believes that building a highly skilled technical workforce will be essential to supporting long-term industrial competitiveness in these sectors.

Indo-French Collaboration to Support Aeronautics Skilling

The Ministry also indicated that the project will benefit from Indo-French bilateral cooperation, reflecting growing strategic collaboration between India and France in aerospace, defence and advanced technology sectors.

Dassault Aviation India’s participation is seen as particularly significant given India’s increasing engagement with French aerospace technology and defence manufacturing partnerships.

Officials said the proposed NCoE could emerge as a model institution combining:

• Industry co-investment

• International collaboration

• Advanced vocational training

• Modern manufacturing exposure

PM-SETU to Modernise India’s ITI Ecosystem

The proposed aeronautics centre is part of the broader PM-SETU initiative aimed at transforming India’s Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into industry-responsive skill development ecosystems.

Under Component-I of PM-SETU, the government is implementing a Hub-and-Spoke model across Uttar Pradesh.

Key ITI clusters identified include:

• Aliganj

• Saket

• Pandu Nagar (Kanpur)

• Muzaffarnagar

• Agra

• Naini (Prayagraj)

• Varanasi

• Chargawan (Gorakhpur)

Under this model, hub ITIs will mentor surrounding spoke ITIs to strengthen:

• Regional skilling ecosystems

• Training quality

• Industry linkages

• Employment outcomes

• Infrastructure utilisation

Thousands of Aerospace Professionals to Be Trained Annually

According to the Ministry, the NCoE at NSTI Kanpur is expected to train thousands of aeronautics and allied sector professionals annually once operational.

The institution is being envisioned as a strategic workforce pipeline feeding directly into India’s growing aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Officials said the initiative aligns closely with India’s broader goals of:

• Atmanirbhar Bharat

• Defence indigenisation

• Advanced manufacturing expansion

• High-value industrial employment

• Global aerospace competitiveness

Aerospace Sector Emerging as Strategic Economic Driver

India’s aerospace and aviation industries are increasingly being identified as high-growth sectors capable of generating large-scale skilled employment and advanced industrial capability.

The country has been actively pursuing growth in:

• Aircraft manufacturing

• Defence aerospace systems

• Drone technologies

• Space technologies

• Aviation maintenance services

• Precision engineering

• Electronics manufacturing

Experts say workforce development will be a critical factor determining India’s ability to compete globally in these high-technology sectors.

Skill Development Linked to Industrial Policy Goals

Analysts note that the Kanpur NCoE proposal reflects a broader shift in India’s skill development policy — moving beyond generic vocational training toward highly specialised industry-linked technical education.

The integration of industry participation, international collaboration and advanced manufacturing focus is expected to help bridge long-standing gaps between vocational education and industrial requirements.

Officials say the consultation is part of ongoing efforts under PM-SETU to modernise vocational education and build stronger linkages between industry and skill institutions nationwide.