• Three ‘ I’s to Global Success: Intent, Intensity and Integrity Define Kineco’s Journey
  • No Plan B, Only Plan A: The Philosophy Behind Kineco’s Aerospace Success
  • Beyond Composites: Kineco’s Vision for Autonomous Aerospace Solutions

By Sangeeta Saxena

Farnborough, UK. 24 July 2026. Few Indian companies exemplify the patience, resilience and long-term commitment demanded by the aerospace industry better than Kineco Limited. Founded three decades ago as a composites company in Goa, Kineco has steadily evolved into an internationally recognised engineering and manufacturing enterprise serving aerospace, defence, rail, wind energy and marine sectors. Today, with nine manufacturing facilities across India, the United Kingdom and Denmark, the company has established itself as one of India’s leading advanced composites specialists.

Its journey into aerospace, however, was anything but easy. From investing in capabilities in 2004 to securing its first aerospace contract with BAE Systems only in 2012, Kineco spent nearly eight years building certifications, developing technologies and earning the confidence of global customers. That experience shaped the company’s philosophy of prioritising long-term value over short-term gains—a philosophy encapsulated in what Chairman & Managing Director Shekhar Sardessai calls Kineco’s “Three I’s”: Intent, Intensity and Integrity.

Speaking exclusively to Aviation & Defence Universe (ADU) at the Aerospace India Association (AIA) Pavilion during Farnborough International Airshow 2026, Shekhar Sardessai, Chairman & Managing Director, Kineco Limited, reflects on the company’s remarkable journey, the importance of collaboration within India’s aerospace ecosystem, the future of autonomous systems, expansion beyond composites and why aerospace remains a business that rewards patience rather than quick success.

ADU. We are meeting here at the Aerospace India Association Pavilion during Farnborough International Airshow 2026. Kineco is a major participant in this collective initiative. What brings Kineco to Farnborough this year?

Shekhar Sardessai. We are here because we belong to this industry and this is where we should be. What is particularly significant this year is that the Aerospace India Association has, for the first time, taken the initiative to bring Indian companies together under one pavilion. Considering that the association itself has been in existence for only about two years, I think this is a remarkable achievement. Of course, we could have exhibited independently, just as several Indian companies are doing. But we believe there is much greater strength in presenting ourselves collectively. When we come together, we are not merely promoting our individual companies; we are projecting India itself as an aerospace nation and as a force to reckon with globally. That collective identity is extremely important.

ADU. What is Kineco showcasing at Farnborough International Airshow 2026?

Shekhar Sardessai. At Kineco we are fundamentally an engineering and manufacturing company. Engineering is at the core of everything we do. Our capabilities span build-to-print, build-to-specification and design-to-build manufacturing. Within aerospace and defence, composites remain the nucleus of our business. Beyond aerospace, we also manufacture advanced composite products for the railway industry, wind energy and defence marine applications. Today we operate nine manufacturing facilities spread across three countries.

ADU. Which are these three countries?

Shekhar Sardessai. We have seven manufacturing plants in India. Outside India, we have one facility in the United Kingdom dedicated primarily to our railway business and another facility in Denmark, which also serves the railway sector. Both of these European facilities were acquired over the last few years as part of our international expansion strategy.

ADU. Tell us about Kineco’s journey into aerospace.

Shekhar Sardessai. We began nearly thirty years ago in industrial composites. Gradually we moved up the value chain into railway applications and then entered advanced composites with a clear focus on aerospace. However, aerospace is unlike many other industries. It is not a business where salesmanship alone will open doors. You first have to build capabilities. You have to invest in technology. You have to obtain certifications. You have to participate in international air shows. You have to make yourself visible to customers. And even after doing all that, it still takes years before customers begin trusting you. Our own journey illustrates that. We invested in aerospace in 2004. Our first aerospace contract came only in 2012 with BAE Systems. That means it took nearly eight years from making the investment to earning our first meaningful aerospace revenue. It is always a long journey. But in aerospace it is not merely a long journey—it is a towering climb. That experience taught us resilience. Today resilience forms one of the cornerstones of Kineco’s culture.

ADU. Your organisation often speaks about the “Three I’s.” What do they represent?

Shekhar Sardessai. The Three I’s are the foundation of our culture and our core values. The first is Intent. If your intent is genuine and you truly want to achieve something, that is where everything begins. The second is Intensity. Once you have intent, you must pursue your objective with complete commitment and the highest level of intensity. The third is Integrity. If you combine genuine intent with relentless intensity and conduct yourself with integrity, then almost any challenge can be overcome. When we started Kineco, we were a team of just six people. Today we have nine manufacturing facilities, nearly one thousand employees and revenues approaching ₹500 crore. It has certainly been a long journey, but it has also been an extremely rewarding one.

ADU. What were your principal objectives in coming to Farnborough this year?

Shekhar Sardessai. First and foremost, it was about engaging with our existing customers. We wanted to review ongoing programmes, understand their future requirements and strengthen those relationships. Secondly, we have signed new engagements during the show and are discussing additional projects that are currently in the pipeline. The third major development is the launch of our Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Solutions, which we have formally announced here at Farnborough because this is the ideal global platform to give it visibility.

ADU. You mentioned the launch of a Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Solutions. Could you tell us more about it?

Shekhar Sardessai. Certainly. The Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Solutions will be headquartered in Goa, where all our aerospace and defence manufacturing facilities are located. We decided to formally launch it here at Farnborough because this is the right international platform to give it visibility.

The thinking behind this initiative comes from the work we have been doing over the last four to five years. During this period, we have been manufacturing airframes for a number of global drone and UAV manufacturers. Today we already have a portfolio of five global customers in this domain. Naturally, we cannot disclose their names because of confidentiality agreements, but they are among the leading players in the market. What we realised while working with them is that unmanned systems and eVTOLs are going to become a major part of the future aerospace industry. Therefore, this area has to become a core pillar of Kineco’s long-term growth strategy.

ADU. What gap does this Centre of Excellence seek to address?

Shekhar Sardessai. One thing we have observed is that many of the companies entering this sector are startups. Their strength lies in system engineering, mission systems and software. However, many of them do not possess expertise in airframe design, composite structures, manufacturing or testing. Nor do they necessarily want to invest in building those capabilities themselves. That creates a tremendous opportunity for collaboration. Our vision is to create a Centre of Excellence where we can support customers right from concept development of the airframe, through design, engineering, prototyping, manufacturing and testing. Today we already perform many of these activities individually. The Centre of Excellence brings all these capabilities together into a single business model. Instead of offering isolated services, we will offer an integrated solution. That is where we believe we can create significant value for our customers.

ADU. Every successful business has both short-term and long-term plans. What are Kineco’s plans?

Shekhar Sardessai. Let me answer that a little philosophically because this is something I always say. When people ask me whether I had a short-term plan or a long-term plan when I started Kineco, my answer is simple. I had only one plan. I had no Plan B. I had to make Plan A succeed. Right from the beginning, I always thought long term.We consciously sacrificed short-term gains in order to build long-term capability.

Looking back, one could perhaps say that it was a little crazy.But unless you are willing to be a little crazy, you cannot break the glass ceiling. If we had focused only on short-term profits, we might have remained a small fabrication or composite shop operating out of Goa. Instead, we aspired to compete on the global stage. That required patience and conviction. Today we have created value not only for our shareholders and investors but also for our employees and the wider ecosystem. Now, of course, we have become much more structured. We still do not believe in having a Plan B because that almost sounds like preparing for failure. But today we certainly have clearly defined short-term, medium-term and long-term execution plans.

ADU. How do you see Kineco evolving over the next to decades?

Shekhar Sardessai. Composites will always remain the core of our business. However, remaining a composite manufacturer alone is not sufficient. We have to continue moving up the value chain. That means progressing from manufacturing individual components to system engineering, then to assemblies and sub-assemblies, and continuously expanding into adjacent opportunities where our composite expertise provides a competitive advantage.

One thing we do not intend to become is a drone OEM. That would place us in direct competition with many of our own customers. Instead, we want to remain a trusted subsystem supplier and engineering partner. Wherever adjacent opportunities allow us to capture a larger share of the product while complementing our customers rather than competing with them, we will pursue them. Our railway business is a good example. We began by supplying a few composite interior panels. Today we offer complete end-to-end railway interior solutions. That is exactly the kind of progression we would like to see in aerospace as well.

ADU. And what are your immediate priorities?

Shekhar Sardessai. The immediate priority is ensuring that our balance sheet remains healthy. In today’s environment, where our customers are among the most demanding in the world, operational excellence and efficiency are absolutely critical. That is why the next generation joining the business is focusing strongly on operational excellence. Everything begins there. Without operational excellence, sustainable growth is simply not possible.

As Kineco prepares for its next phase of growth, it was equally important to hear from the next generation of Sardessais of Goa, Shekhar’s son Ved, who was here at Farnborough Airshow. A few questions were therefore directed to Ved Sardessai to understand how he views carrying forward the legacy, his priorities for the business and the role he envisages in shaping Kineco’s future.

ADU. Ved you have joined the family business. Tell us something about your journey?

Ved Sardessai. I recently completed my BBA (Honours) with a major in Finance. I also completed an internship in a similar industry where I worked extensively on operations, shop-floor management and operational excellence. That experience reinforced my belief that operational excellence must become the foundation for the next phase of Kineco’s growth.

ADU. As the second generation entering the family business, how do you see your role in Kineco’s future?

Ved Sardessai. I see a tremendous opportunity to build upon the work that my father and the entire team have done over the past three decades. My responsibility is to carry that journey forward and help make Kineco an even bigger global company.

ADU. What will be your immediate priorities as you begin this journey?

Ved Sardessai. In the short term, my focus will be on driving operational excellence across all our manufacturing units, beginning with our Aerospace & Defence Centre of Excellence. I believe that strengthening operational efficiency and execution will provide a strong foundation for Kineco’s next phase of growth.

ADU. Goa is traditionally known for tourism and hospitality. How do you see Goa’s emergence as an aerospace hub?

Ved Sardessai. We have demonstrated through Kineco that world-class aerospace capabilities can be developed outside the country’s traditional industrial hubs. By building expertise in advanced composite technologies, participating in global aerospace programmes and attracting international customers, Goa has established itself as a credible manufacturing destination. With the establishment of our Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Solutions in Goa, we are taking the next step. The state is no longer just a manufacturing base; it is evolving into a centre for advanced aerospace engineering, unmanned systems and next-generation technologies.

As Kineco enters its fourth decade, the company is also witnessing the beginning of a new chapter with the induction of the second generation into the family business. Embracing the values that have shaped Kineco over the past 30 years—Intent, Intensity and Integrity—he represents a new generation committed to building on the strong foundation laid by his father while preparing the company for its next phase of global growth. His entry reflects a carefully planned leadership transition that blends youthful perspective with the discipline, long-term vision and engineering excellence that have become synonymous with the Kineco name. Kineco’s story mirrors the broader evolution of Indian aerospace itself—from a supplier of specialised components to a globally respected engineering partner. From the quiet industrial landscape of Goa, Kineco has helped place the state firmly on the national and international aerospace map, proving that world-class innovation can emerge far beyond India’s traditional manufacturing hubs.