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Tag: Make in India

US Ambassador Sergio Gor Visits Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Facility in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: US Ambassador Sergio Gor visited the Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) facility in Hyderabad on August 24, touring the production line where critical empennage structures for the C-130J Super Hercules are manufactured.

The visit comes at a significant time for India-US aerospace and defence cooperation, as Tata Advanced Systems and Lockheed Martin are participating in the Ministry of Defence’s Request for Proposal (RFP) for the procurement of 60 Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) for the Indian Air Force. The proposed programme is valued at around ₹1 lakh crore.

TLMAL, in an official statement, said its long-standing partnership with Lockheed Martin is entering a new phase as both companies work to address the recently released Medium Transport Aircraft requirement.

The Indian Air Force currently operates a fleet of 12 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The Hyderabad facility has become an important part of the global C-130J supply chain, demonstrating the growing role of Indian manufacturing capabilities in aerospace and defence production.

During his visit, Ambassador Sergio Gor highlighted the expanding economic and strategic relationship between India and the United States.

“The decades-long economic partnership between the United States and India continues to grow stronger through innovation, shared security interests, and economic cooperation,” he said. He added that manufacturing critical C-130J structures in India demonstrates the growing industrial and defence cooperation between the two countries.

According to the ambassador, such partnerships can support high-skilled employment, strengthen resilient supply chains and contribute to the shared vision of a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.

Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tata Advanced Systems Limited, said the company’s partnership with Lockheed Martin has established a proven track record of supplying world-class aerostructures for key programmes, including the C-130J.

He said the partnership has also expanded into maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), with the facility expected to become operational soon. Tata Advanced Systems and Lockheed Martin are also exploring opportunities to expand their cooperation to complete aircraft platforms under the Make in India initiative, subject to the outcome of the Ministry of Defence process.

The companies believe their existing joint capabilities provide an established foundation for scaling production to meet the requirements of the Medium Transport Aircraft programme.

The Tata Advanced Systems MRO facility is scheduled to open in December this year, while the arrival of aircraft for the facility is expected in spring 2027.

The Hyderabad visit underlines the increasing importance of Telangana’s aerospace ecosystem and the broader role of Indian companies in strengthening global defence supply chains and deepening India-US strategic cooperation.

Hyderabad Metro to Get 60 New Coaches

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metro Rail network is set to receive 60 new coaches in the coming months as the Telangana government moves to strengthen public transport infrastructure and meet the growing demand for metro services.

According to ABN, officials of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) have initiated the process to award a manufacturing contract to an Indian company under the Centre’s “Make in India” initiative. The move has been taken on the directions of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who has instructed officials to finalise the company and ensure that the new coaches are rolled out at the earliest.

The addition of 60 coaches is expected to significantly improve the capacity of the Hyderabad Metro system and help accommodate the steadily increasing number of passengers. With rising ridership, the expansion is aimed at providing more frequent and efficient services across the existing metro corridors.

The first phase of Hyderabad Metro was opened in November 2017. At present, metro services operate across three major corridors — LB Nagar-Miyapur, JBS-MGBS and Nagole-Raidurg — covering a total distance of around 69.2 km.

The network currently handles nearly 4.6 lakh commuters every day, with around 1,200 trips being operated daily. With passenger numbers continuing to rise, the introduction of additional coaches is expected to ease overcrowding during peak hours and improve the overall travel experience.

The proposed manufacturing contract will also support the government’s focus on promoting domestic production and strengthening Indian capabilities in the urban transportation sector.

The arrival of the new coaches is expected to mark an important step in expanding Hyderabad Metro’s operational capacity and preparing the network to handle future growth in passenger demand.