‘We Shape the Future of Flight’: Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam on Tata Technologies’ Global Aerospace Journey

• From Airframe Engineering to Digital MRO: Tata Technologies Charts Aerospace Growth
• Engineering Beyond Manufacturing: Tata Technologies Brings Digital Innovation to Aerospace
• Digital Threads, Smart MRO, Automation and AI: Tata Technologies’ Vision for Aerospace

By Sangeeta Saxena

Farnborough. 24 July 2026. Few names in Indian industry evoke the kind of trust, admiration and emotional connect that Tata does. For well over a century, the Tata name has stood for integrity, nation-building, quality and a deep commitment to society. Whether in steel, automobiles, information technology, hospitality, aviation, power, healthcare or aerospace, the Tata brand commands instant respect—not merely because of the scale of its businesses, but because of the values it represents. Across India and increasingly around the world, the name inspires confidence among customers, governments, industry partners and employees alike. For many Indians, TATA is more than a corporate conglomerate; it is an institution synonymous with ethical leadership, innovation and service to the nation. That enduring legacy continues to open doors, build lasting partnerships and reinforce the confidence that when TATA undertakes a project, it does so with professionalism, purpose and a long-term vision.

As the global aerospace industry grapples with record aircraft backlogs, rapidly expanding fleets and an unprecedented push for digital transformation, engineering services have become just as critical as aircraft manufacturing itself. At the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, Aviation & Defence Universe (ADU) spoke exclusively with Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam, Sr. Director & Transformation Partner – Aerospace, TATA Technologies Limited, to understand how the company is helping OEMs, airlines, MRO organizationsand suppliers navigate this new era of aviation. From engineering and industrialisation to digital manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), artificial intelligence and smart technologies, Dr. Shanmugam explained how TATA Technologies is positioning itself at the forefront of shaping the future of global aerospace while supporting India’s rapidly expanding aviation ecosystem.

 ADU. Tata Technologies has a strong presence here at the Farnborough International Airshow and is attracting considerable attention. What are you showcasing this year?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. It is a pleasure to have you here at Farnborough and thank you for visiting our stand. Tata Technologies is fundamentally an engineering organisation supporting global manufacturing companies to improve productivity, product quality and engineering excellence through digital technologies & AI embedded across our offerings. In aerospace, we have developed significant expertise over the past 25 years. The industry is witnessing phenomenal growth, particularly in India. Passenger traffic has increased dramatically post COVID, while the Indian airlines together have placed orders for more than a thousand aircraft.

Meeting this demand requires higher productivity, better product development cycle time, digital engineering and stronger aftermarket support. Commercial aircraft requires continuous maintenance to remain airworthy, creating enormous opportunities in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). At Tata Technologies, the key differentiator is our deep aerospace expertise built over 25 years, combined with competencies developed through meticulous planning. We also bring valuable cross-industry experience from the automotive sector, where digital transformation has historically progressed faster than aerospace. We leverage those best practices to develop better aerospace products and engineering solutions.

ADU. Your display highlights MRO capabilities. Are your MRO services primarily for Indian Airlines?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. We are a global engineering company with operations across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, India and Singapore. We support airlines, third-party MRO organisations, airframe manufacturers and global OEMs. Our aerospace business broadly consists of five major verticals – Engineering, Industrialization, MRO, Propulsion and Aviation services covering rotary-wing aircrafts and fixed-wing aircrafts. The first vertical, Engineering, involves airframe design, cabin interiors, digital simulation and certification support. We work across almost the entire lifecycle of the aircraft.

ADU. Apart from engineering, what other capabilities does Tata Technologies bring to aerospace?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. The second vertical is Industrialisation. Once an aircraft is designed, it must be manufactured according to the design details and intent. We support manufacturers through manufacturing engineering, process simulation, digital twins, digital threads, virtual validation, tooling development, methods engineering, digital work instructions and automation. Everything required to transform a digital design into an efficiently manufactured aircraft falls within this domain. Although Tata Technologies itself is not a manufacturing company, we work closely with manufacturing partners within the TATA ecosystem as well as other global partners to support production.

ADU. Could you elaborate further on your Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul activities?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. We work closely with global airframe manufacturers, third-party MRO companies and engine manufacturers for the MRO engineering activities and tooling to maintain airworthiness. Our work involves repair engineering, structural assessments, damage analysis, repair schemes and non-conformity disposition. When an aircraft or engine arrives for maintenance, we receive the damage details from the MROs and our engineering teams perform detailed assessments to provide disposition and develop suitable repair solutions. This is also closely linked with sustainability because repairing components wherever possible avoids unnecessary replacement and material wastage.

ADU. Digitalisation appears to be a major focus. How is Tata Technologies applying digital technologies within MRO?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. Digital transformation is central to everything we do. We are working towards developing a digital solution for paperless MRO operations. We are also developing an innovative product solution for inspecting the damages. The system connects directly with backend databases containing previous repairs, historical damage records and OEM repair manuals. Instead of manually measuring and documenting every defect, the technician receives digital assistance that links the observed damage with approved repair procedures. This significantly improves efficiency while ensuring strict compliance with OEM repair instructions, which is essential in aviation. We are also developing a product for in-flight entertainment system, allowing passengers to access entertainment through wearable displays instead of traditional seatback screens. This represents another example of how innovation can reshape passenger experience while reducing hardware requirements inside the aircraft.

ADU. Beyond engineering, manufacturing and MRO, are there newer areas where Tata Technologies is expanding?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. Aviation Services is one of our Aerospace verticals. This addresses emerging opportunities that extend beyond conventional engineering activities. The aviation industry is undergoing rapid digital transformation, and airlines increasingly require integrated engineering and digital solutions across their operations. We are working with a leading Indian Airline to pilot couple of these initiatives. Our objective is to develop solutions that can serve the global aviation industry as passenger expectations continue evolving towards digitally enabled travel experiences. Ultimately, our intent is very simple – We want to shape the future of flight.

ADU. The aviation industry today seems to be embracing digitalisation at an unprecedented pace.

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. Absolutely. Everything today is moving towards digital platforms. Artificial Intelligence has become an integral part of almost every engineering activity. At Tata Technologies, we embed AI-driven solutions, Digital Thread and digital engineering across every vertical we operate. This enables better productivity, faster engineering decisions and higher-quality outcomes for customers.

ADU. Where are Tata Technologies’ aerospace operations based?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. Our headquarters is in Pune, and we have engineering centres across multiple locations in India. Globally, we have operations wherever our customers require support. We have significant presence in Detroit, Toulouse, Hamburg, the United Kingdom and several other locations. Our philosophy is straightforward. Wherever our customers create demand and wherever we see opportunities to support the aerospace industry, we leverage our global presence and reach.

ADU.  Finally, how has your experience been at the Farnborough International Airshow?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. It has been excellent. The footfall has been extremely encouraging. Events like Farnborough give us the opportunity not only to meet existing and prospective customers but also to understand the latest technological developments taking place across the global aerospace industry. Our primary objective is to continue supporting the industry by applying advanced engineering, digital technologies and AI solutions to help shape the future of aerospace. That remains our mission.

ADU. Before we conclude, is there one message you would like to leave for the global aerospace community gathered here at Farnborough?

Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam. The aerospace industry is entering into one of the most exciting phases in its history. Passenger demand continues to grow, airlines are expanding rapidly, OEMs have unprecedented order backlogs and digital technologies are fundamentally transforming the way aircraft are designed, manufactured and maintained. At Tata Technologies, our purpose is very clear—to support this transformation through engineering excellence, digital innovation and artificial intelligence. We are committed to helping the global aerospace industry become more productive, more sustainable and more technologically advanced and connected. Ultimately, our mission is to shape the future of flight by combining engineering expertise with cutting-edge digital technologies, and we look forward to strengthening our partnerships across the global aerospace ecosystem.

For more than two decades, Tata Technologies has quietly established itself as one of the world’s leading engineering and digital product development partners for the aerospace industry. Our company provides engineering excellence that helps global OEMs, airlines, engine manufacturers and MRO organisations design, industrialise, manufacture, certify and maintain increasingly sophisticated aerospace platforms. With expertise spanning airframe engineering, manufacturing engineering, digital twins, digital thread, artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, MRO engineering and aviation digitalisation, Tata Technologies supports customers across the entire aircraft lifecycle. As India’s aviation sector expands rapidly and global aerospace production scales up to meet record demand, the company is leveraging the strength of the Tata Group together with its worldwide engineering footprint to help shape the next generation of aviation—one driven by innovation, sustainability, digital transformation and engineering excellence;

The conversation with Dr. Rajarajan Shanmugam highlighted how aerospace is evolving far beyond aircraft manufacturing into an ecosystem driven by digital engineering, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and lifecycle support. While aircraft manufacturers often occupy the spotlight, companies such as Tata Technologies are providing the engineering backbone that enables the industry to innovate faster, manufacture more efficiently and maintain increasingly complex fleets around the world. From supporting leading OEMs and major engine manufacturers to designing advanced MRO infrastructure, digital twins, smart-glass applications and AI-enabled engineering solutions, Tata Technologies is helping redefine how the aerospace industry designs, builds and sustains the aircraft of tomorrow. Its growing role in India’s aviation expansion and its global engineering presence reinforces its ambition of not merely supporting aerospace—but actively shaping the future of flight.

As Told To Sangeeta Saxena