A 10-member delegation from the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) visited Aequs SEZ in Belgaum, Karnataka. The delegation, headed by Rabindra Srikantan, Chairman IACC, toured the facilities and held discussions on the capabilities, investment benefits and tax exemptions in the SEZ.

The 250-acre Aequs SEZ, India's first precision engineering special economic zone, is an integrated aerospace manufacturing ecosystem that houses several interrelated capabilities that are either unavailable in India or difficult to come by.

Explaining the visit and discussions, IACC Chairman Srikantan said, "IACC formed an Aerospace & Defense Forum in 2011 and we have been actively encouraging Indo-US collaboration to further growth in this sector. Several US aerospace majors are looking towards India.

There is a growing base for manufacturing several aircraft components such as aircraft doors, landing gears, window glass and cables from India." Outsourcing of aerospace manufacturing to India is poised for rapid growth as global OEMs widen their supply chains to take advantage of low cost manufacturing in emerging markets.

Commenting on the visit, Aravind Melligeri, Chairman & CEO of Aequs said: "The ability to offer full sub-systems or assemblies to global aerospace entities is a vital factor in turning India into a major aerospace outsourcing hub. By creating the right infrastructure with a well-trained talent pool, it is possible for India to position itself as a leading global aerospace hub with a low cost advantage."
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