Airbus and Air India have opened a new pilot training center in Gurugram, Haryana, India. This facility aims to train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to meet the rapid growth of commercial aviation in India.
The joint venture was inaugurated by India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, along with Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and Airbus CEO of Commercial Aircraft Christian Scherer, Airbus announced in a statement on September 30, 2025.
“Air India is in an expansion mode with 570 new aircraft on order and the new pilot training center at our Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, a part of which is being executed with Airbus, will help train and upskill pilots who will fuel Air India’s ambition of becoming a world-class airline,” said Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO of Air India.
The new center spans 12,000 square meters and will feature 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFSs), as well as classrooms and briefing rooms. It is designed to train pilots for the Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families.
The planemaker said the new facility will complement the four A320 family FFSs at the current Airbus India Training Center in New Delhi. Together, these two locations will have a total of 14 FFSs.
In addition, Airbus said it is collaborating with local partners to provide maintenance training to support the future fleet.
“This is more than a joint venture; it is a strategic investment in the future of the Indian aerospace industry itself. India is a critical base for Airbus, and this facility is a testament to our belief in its potential,” said Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia.
The manufacturer concluded, alongside other collaborations, the initiative is “designed to equip India’s young workforce with the competencies needed to power aerospace growth for decades to come”.
