 "The Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM jet engine of an Airbus A320neo. (Photo: Bloomberg)")
US-based engine maker Pratt & Whitney (PW) on Tuesday said it has established a research & development (R&D) centre in Bengaluru 'to accelerate innovation and drive digital and business transformation' for its global operations.
The company said it is recruiting the first batch of employees for the R&D centre -- called India Digital Capability Center (IDCC) -- which is a 'multi-million dollar investment'. By 2027, the centre is expected to have over 300 employees.
IDCC will be co-located with PW’s engineering and supply chain operations centres. PW is part of RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company.
IDCC will facilitate close collaboration with other RTX (Raytheon) businesses in India, including Collins Aerospace and RTX Enterprise Services.
PW has been in the news in India after GoFirst squarely blamed the engine manufacturer for its cash crunch. The insolvent airline had stated that about half of its 54 aircraft were grounded in May last year due to a delay in the supply of engines by the US-based company. Additionally, as more than one-fifth of IndiGo's aircraft fleet is currently grounded due to PW engine issues, it is expected to induct a few B737 Max aircraft for the first time on lease.
Ashmita Sethi, president & country head, Pratt & Whitney, India UTCIPL (United Technologies Corporation India), said on Tuesday, 'With $40 million already invested in engineering and supply chain operations centres in the past two years, Pratt & Whitney continues to grow its presence and contribution to India’s aerospace ecosystem with this additional multi-million-dollar investment in the IDCC.'
'The expansion of Pratt & Whitney’s digital technology presence in Bengaluru will allow us to leverage India’s aviation and technology talent and accelerate our digital transformation,' said Rahul Dharni, vice president & global chief information officer, Pratt & Whitney.
PW stated it has sourced nearly $55 million in the past 10 years from aerospace suppliers in India and over $500 million in engineering services in the country over the past two decades.
The company has other significant investments in India, including an India Customer Training Center in Hyderabad and its R&D (research and development) collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
Similarly, the company inaugurated its India Engineering Center (IEC) in Bengaluru last year.
PW’s parent RTX provides advanced systems and services for military and government customers worldwide. It has four verticals ― PW, Collins Aerospace, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense.
The company, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, US, was formed in 2020 through the merger of Raytheon with United Technologies’ aerospace businesses.
