Aerospace now on IT firms' radar

The country's software majors have identified aersopace as the next big business opportunity.

HCL Technologies today said it will unveil an integrated approach to the industry debuting at this year's Farnborough Airshow.

The company is setting up a design centre for an aerospace Tier-1 company, which will have over 100-150 engineers.

India is set to become one of the biggest aerospace markets in the world with imports projected to cross £150 billion in 10 years.

Software companies' association Nasscom says the market size of aerospace technology outsourcing market in India, now estimated at $150 million, will be worth $1 billion in four years.

Infosys, Wipro and MindTree are already focusing on this vertical, offering complete solutions.

Ranging from product life cycle management, IT solutions, embedded system (avionics) and product design & development these companies have been working with a host of aviation firms and their suppliers to be part of the value-chain.

V R Venkatesh, VP - embedded & product engineering, Wipro Technologies: "Aerospace domain is a strategic growth area for Wipro and with our deep technology expertise in embedded software and system design coupled with traditional strength in communication - both wired and wireless, we are uniquely poised to offer design services to aircraft OEMs and Tier-1 companies to develop, test and customise their products based on market needs."