New India–France Aeronautics Skilling Centre Announced

§Narendra Modi announced the setting up of a National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for skilling in aeronautics and defence at Kanpur.

Partnership With France

§The centre will be established in collaboration with the French government under the PM-SETU scheme (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs).

§A Letter of Intent (LoI) has been exchanged between India and France to support this collaboration.

Focus Areas of the Centre

§The Centre will provide advanced skill training in key areas such as:

•Aeronautics

•Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)

•Airport operations

•Defence manufacturing

•Allied aerospace domains

§It is planned as a world-class institution to build a skilled workforce for India’s growing aerospace and defence sector.

Benefits for Youth and Industry

§The initiative will help create a pipeline of globally competent aviation professionals.

§It aims to train youth in industry-relevant skills aligned with global standards.

§The collaboration will also deepen India’s strategic partnership with France in advanced technology sectors.

Support Through PM-SETU

§The Centre is part of the ₹60,000 crore PM-SETU scheme, which aims to upgrade 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India.

§This includes modernising infrastructure, aligning courses with industry demand, and improving employability outcomes.

In Simple Terms

§India and France have agreed to build a National Centre of Excellence in Kanpur to train youth in aeronautics and defence skills. The centre will strengthen India’s aviation workforce and enhance cooperation between the two countries in high-tech sectors.