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By Sangeeta Saxena

Hyderabad. 14 July 2026. At Aeromart Hyderabad, where global aerospace supply chains, OEMs and precision manufacturers converged, Azad Engineering Ltd. stood out as one of India’s growing examples of high-end manufacturing capability. In this conversation with ADI, Abhiram Nair, Assistant General Manager, Azad Engineering Ltd., speaks about the company’s journey from a young Hyderabad-based precision manufacturing enterprise to a listed company supplying critical components to global energy and aerospace majors. From aerofoils and engine parts to defence applications, naval drones, raw-material localisation and future expansion, the interaction reflects how Indian industry is steadily moving from component manufacturing to deeper participation in complete systems and assemblies.

ADU. Abhiram, we are meeting here at Aeromart. What is Azad Engineering showcasing?

Abhiram Nair. Azad Engineering is a precision manufacturing company. We operate across three verticals—energy, aerospace, and oil and gas. The company was started by our Chairman, Mr. Rakesh Chopdar, in 2008, and we became a listed company in 2023. We are Tier-1 suppliers to several leading OEMs. In the energy sector, we work with companies such as GE Vernova, Siemens Energy and Mitsubishi. In aerospace, we work with Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Safran and Pratt & Whitney—essentially all the major engine makers.

Our key products are mainly aerofoils. Since inception, across all three verticals, we have produced about 4.5 million aerofoils. We are currently under qualification for Rolls-Royce for both commercial and defence applications, for Pratt & Whitney on their NPD programmes, and for Safran on their M88 and LEAP engines.

ADU. You are already part of the supply chain of several major global OEMs. Where are your manufacturing facilities located?

Abhiram Nair. We are based out of Hyderabad. We have seven units here. We have one dedicated forge shop, while the other forge shops are integrated with machining units. We are spread over nearly 200,000 square metres across different parts of Hyderabad and have a workforce of about 2,200 employees. We are a young company—just 17 years old—but we have grown rapidly.

ADU. Do you have plans to expand beyond Hyderabad, or will everything remain here?

Abhiram Nair. We do have a couple of sister companies. One is focused on coatings and special processes, and it is based out of Visakhapatnam. We also have another company called Azad Prime, based out of Chennai, where we primarily handle larger fabrications. Chennai was chosen because of its proximity to the port. We have also had good conversations with the Tamil Nadu Government, and we are considering it as a strong option for future expansion. A representative from the Andhra Pradesh Government also met us and shared some proposals. These are under consideration. Azad is a growing company. We are always on our toes. Every six months, something new and big is happening.

ADU. What is the next major step for Azad Engineering?

Abhiram Nair. We have already captured the machining sector and we already have special processes. Our next dependency on the ecosystem is raw material. Our Chairman is working on a project called Azad Super Alloys, where we will work on our own raw material. The idea is to de-risk the ecosystem as much as possible and bring more capability under one roof. This will allow us to cater to the entire value chain more effectively.

ADU. You already have major aerospace clients. What about the Army, Navy and homeland security market?

Abhiram Nair. We do not get direct orders from the Indian defence forces, but we do a lot of work through PSUs and government organisations. For example, we work with GTRE. Currently, we are assembling a complete engine for them, which will go on one of their naval drones. The first shipment is expected in the next three weeks. We are assembling the engine end-to-end. The concept is theirs, but the manufacturing and assembly are being done by us. We also provide services to GTRE, BrahMos and ISRO. Direct dealings with the Army and Navy are not there at present, but our products are connected with systems used across the defence ecosystem.

ADU. Is it correct to presume that your products are present across all three services and also linked with homeland security applications?

Abhiram Nair. Yes, that would be correct.

ADU. When you say you are assembling an engine, what is the Make in India content? Is it completely Indian?

Abhiram Nair. It is 100 per cent Make in India.

ADU. Even the raw material?

Abhiram Nair. Yes. Even the raw material is procured from local sources. It comes from MIDHANI.

ADU. That is good news. It is rare to hear of a completely Indian-made engine assembly. Is this related to the 807 engine?

Abhiram Nair. No, it is related to the 804.

ADU. So that is the USP at the moment?

Abhiram Nair. Yes. A couple of years ago, for a long time, we supported GTRE with their Avery engine. We all know what happened with that. Everyone put in effort and money, but it did not work out. However, this new project is something everyone is looking forward to. It is going to revolutionise the understanding of what Indian industry can do. Until now, India was often known for manufacturing capabilities where we made components and supplied them back, while the remaining work was done elsewhere. This changes that concept. Here, the concept is Indian, the manufacturing is Indian, the assembly is Indian, and Indian manufacturers like us are assembling and delivering the engine back. We are coming up with our own Make in India engine.

ADU. That is important because the Government is placing strong emphasis on Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India.

Abhiram Nair. Absolutely. It makes sense, and it is a very good development.

ADU. Is there anything else you would like to add that I may not have asked?

Abhiram Nair. I think we have covered the company, our manufacturing lines, Make in India content and expansion plans. We are a good company. We have a great leader and a young, energetic team. We are looking forward to achieving greater heights and supporting the entire ecosystem.

Azad Engineering’s journey reflects the changing face of Indian aerospace manufacturing. From supplying precision aerofoils and critical components to global OEMs to assembling a fully Indian engine for a naval drone, the company represents the growing depth of India’s industrial capability. Its Hyderabad-based facilities, large skilled workforce, global customer base, expansion plans, special processes, and future focus on raw-material localisation through Azad Super Alloys show a company intent on moving up the value chain. As India pushes forward with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, Azad Engineering is positioning itself not merely as a component manufacturer, but as a trusted partner in the emerging aerospace, defence and energy ecosystem.

As told to Sangeeta Saxena