Guwahati, Sep 7 (PTI): The IIT-Guwahati entered into an agreement with Airbus India Private Ltd on Friday to set up a global training centre for aviation and logistics business here.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the collaboration will pave the way for Assam to emerge as a logistics hub in providing skilled personnel in aerospace technology.
“This is a milestone initiative to welcome Airbus India to our state. The agreement does not represent just a formal alliance, but a shared commitment to innovation and excellence to aerospace technology and development of logistics hub in Assam,” he said at the memorandum of agreement signing ceremony at IIT-Guwahati.
An official statement said a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) was signed between Prof Devendra Jalihal, Director of IIT-Guwahati, and Remi Maillard, president and managing director, Airbus India Private Ltd.
Under the collaboration, IIT-Guwahati will organise courses, onboard students and provide the necessary infrastructure and logistical support.
In the initial phase, Airbus will supply trainers, training materials and tools from the ‘Airbus Beyond Catalog’ for short-term courses.
Subsequently, the aviation major will enable the IIT-Guwahati faculty to conduct ‘Train the Trainer’ programmes, allowing them to independently deliver Airbus courses while maintaining the curriculum, materials and tools, the statement said.
The partnership plans to co-curate long-term courses in the later phase.
The programme will be established at IIT-Guwahati, with guidance and close coordination from the government of Assam and all state governments in the northeastern region, it said.
Sarma maintained that the project will address the current skill gap, and the collaboration is poised to elevate global competitiveness and the logistics sector in the northeast region.
“This is a significant step in creating a robust and dynamic workforce in our region,” the CM said, emphasising that the coming together of academic excellence of IIT-Guwahati and Airbus India’s excellence in technology and global leadership will benefit Assam.
He said the key areas covered under the pact are transportation industries, hospitality, skilling and logistics, and these sectors have “much scope of expansion”, too.
“The director of IIT-Guwahati has also requested for support from government of Assam. I would like to reassure that all students who will come for skilling under this programme will be given adequate scholarship so that they can excel in pursuing a new career,” Sarma said.
Sarma also said the state has witnessed significant development in both industry and education sectors, with the Tata Group’s semiconductor project coming up at Jagiroad being a major initiative in this regard.
“We are now pursuing a manufacturing hub to create a better ecosystem for the semiconductor industry. The government of Assam can engage more elaborately with Airbus India, and find out where we can collaborate further and work for development of the northeast,” he said.
Director of the institute, Prof Jalihal, added: “This initiative will empower the youth of Assam and the northeastern region, fostering innovation, economic growth and a brighter future for all.”
Commenting on the collaboration, Suraj Chettri, vice-president and head of HR at Airbus India and South Asia, said the company will continue to invest in developing a skilled workforce in India, working closely with the central government and various state governments to unlock the full potential of the Indian aviation sector.
