• GIFAS-FICCI Dialogue Showcases Tamil Nadu and Telangana as India’s Aerospace Anchors
  • Safran, Airbus, Dassault Commit to Deeper Ties with Indian States at Paris Air Show

 By Sangeeta Saxena

 Le Bourget, Paris. 18 June 2025. This is a powerful demonstration of bilateral aerospace engagement, the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) jointly hosted a high-level event at the Paris Air Show 2025. With Indian state ministers and senior bureaucrats sharing the stage with French industry leaders, the event highlighted not only the enduring Indo-French aviation partnership but also the emerging dynamism of Indian aerospace hubs like Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Tamil Nadu Showcases Policy Continuity and Skilling Edge

Representing the Government of Tamil Nadu, Dr. T.R.B. Rajaa, Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce delivered a compelling pitch for investment in the southern Indian state, underlining its unmatched record of policy continuity. “Tamil Nadu is perhaps the only Indian state that has never failed in delivering on its incentive promises, irrespective of which party is in power,” he said, adding, “Even my opposition has never failed on that front.”

He emphasized Tamil Nadu’s pioneering contribution to India’s GST regime for aircraft parts and reiterated its commitment to industry-friendly policies. “We are the reason for the 5% GST clearance for aircraft parts. Tamil Nadu champions such reforms,” he noted. Highlighting the upcoming AeroDefCon in October, which he personally named, he invited participants to experience the state’s infrastructure and efficiency first-hand.

On the talent front, he stated, “We have 550+ engineering colleges producing 150,000 engineers every year. Our skilling programs now include foreign languages to support global manpower deployment.” He proudly shared that 41% of India’s organised sector working women are from Tamil Nadu, showcasing the state’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Telangana Highlights Robust Aerospace Ecosystem and French Investments

Responding with equal fervour, Praveen P.A., Director (Aerospace & Defence), Government of Telangana, acknowledged Tamil Nadu’s strengths but presented Hyderabad as India’s largest aerospace, defence, and space ecosystem. “We have attracted repeat mega-investments from OEMs like Safran, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, GE, and Airbus,” he said.

He outlined Telangana’s French connection through GMR’s partnership with Aeroports de Paris, Safran’s four consecutive investments since 2018, and Hyderabad’s key role in the C-295 component assembly. “Not many know that the bulk of C-295’s structural work happens in Hyderabad, not in Gujarat,” he noted.

He also announced the forthcoming signing of a landmark cluster-to-cluster agreement between Hyderabad and France’s Aerospace Valley, encompassing Toulouse and Bordeaux. “This partnership will elevate tech collaboration and further deepen ties,” he said, citing long-standing cooperation through Aerocampus Aquitaine and a resident officer from the French Space Agency in Hyderabad.

A Collaborative Future: From Manufacturing to Markets

The event highlighted India’s appeal as a manufacturing hub and market for French firms. “We need fresh investments, tech partnerships, and exports from India,” said Praveen, noting Dassault’s recent decision to manufacture Rafale aero-structures in Hyderabad as a defining moment. Telangana, he added, has been awarded the best aerospace state by the Ministry of Civil Aviation four times and was named the world’s most cost-effective aerospace city by The Financial Times in 2021.

France’s Commitment to Indian States

Speaking on behalf of GIFAS, the Delegate Generale of Dassault Aviation & GIE Rafale in India – Vincent Derlon appreciated the competitiveness and promise shown by both Tamil Nadu and Telangana. “From our perspective, every Indian state is almost like a country in itself,” said a French aerospace representative, acknowledging Tamil Nadu’s advances in R&D and spaceport development. “We are closely following the Tamil Nadu defence corridor and Hyderabad’s vibrant ecosystem,” he added.

In a spirit of balanced engagement, the French side confirmed participation at both the AeroDefCon in Chennai and Wings India in Hyderabad. “GIFAS companies will be at Terminal 2 in Chennai this October and at Begumpet in January,” the French delegate assured.

A New Chapter in Indo-French Aerospace Cooperation

The GIFAS-FICCI event at the Paris Air Show 2025 set a new benchmark in regional diplomacy and industrial collaboration between India and France. As Tamil Nadu and Telangana presented their unique aerospace visions, the message was clear—India is ready to partner, co-develop, and co-create with France across the entire aviation value chain.

With deepening state-level engagement and growing trust between industries, the Indo-French aerospace alliance is poised to become a pillar of future global aviation. From joint manufacturing and talent development to cluster agreements and space partnerships, the sky is no longer the limit—it is just the beginning.

When I was growing up the satire I loved the most was Venkat & Shankar. And the morning of 17th June 2025 got my creative juices running riot. So friends it’s time to smile.

“Pitch Battle – Come to India, Reach Telangana… or Tamil Nadu”

Characters:

Venkat: A spirited, persuasive Director from Telangana

Shankar: A suave, passionate Minister from Tamil Nadu

Scene: Paris Air Show 2025, in a VIP Lounge surrounded by croissants, aerospace models, and bewildered French business delegates.

[Scene opens with Venkat unfurling a map of India with a giant blinking LED dot over Hyderabad]

Venkat (beaming): Mesdames et Messieurs, bienvenue! You come to India, you land in Telangana. Paradise starts in Hyderabad.

Shankar (rolling up his sleeves): Pardon my friend here, but if you’re aiming for aerospace excellence, you better land in Chennai, sip some filter coffee, and build in Tamil Nadu. Because when you come to India, you arrive in Tamil Nadu.

Venkat (laughing): In Telangana, we offer a 160-acre composites park, drone corridors, and plug-and-play MRO clusters. Even your GPS will tell you: “Recalculating… Reach Telangana!”

Shankar (straightening): But we have the DRDO labs, IIT Madras, HAL, Tidel Park Aerospace SEZ, and let’s not forget – the best sambar in this hemisphere! Aerospace tastes better with spice.

Venkat (whispering to delegates): In Hyderabad, we have T-Hub and We-Hub – not just buildings but incubation temples for startups. Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed—they’re all ours.

Shankar (raising an eyebrow): Our dreams fly Tejas, my friend. We don’t incubate, we integrate. We have a Defence Industrial Corridor that stretches longer than Venkat’s elevator pitch. Plus, our air is humid—perfect for aircraft testing. See? Natural wind tunnel.

Venkat (smiling): In Telangana, we have GMR Aerospace Park—near an airport that actually flies international flights, not just aspirations.

Shankar (serious): Tell that to your pilots stuck in Banjara Hills traffic. In Tamil Nadu, your aircraft lands, and boom—you’re 20 minutes from the defence corridor.

[The French delegates whisper among themselves: “Why not both?”]

Venkat and Shankar (in unison, gasping): Impossible! It’s a package deal!

Venkat: Come to Telangana: we are the new Bengaluru, but less crowded and more productive.

Shankar: Come to Tamil Nadu: we are the old Bengaluru, but with better food and fewer slogans.

[Cue a waiter entering with croissants shaped like fighter jets. Both men reach for the same one.]

Venkat: See! Even your aerospace-themed pastries want Telangana!

Shankar: It’s French. It’s elegant. Clearly, it belongs in Chennai.

Narrator (voiceover): Thus continues the great Indian aerospace tug-of-war which builds the nation . Venkat and Shankar India knows you both will together keep it marching ahead.

Tagline: Come to India: Whether you land in Telangana or taxi into Tamil Nadu… aerospace dreams have a runway here