Airbus Chairman Rene Obermann has described India as a “strategic, long-term partner” for the company, expressing strong confidence in the country’s engineering talent, technological ambition and overall quality during remarks at the Berlin Global Dialogue.
“I was in India, I spent one week there, and I was completely blown away by the level of excellence, engineering excellence, quality in India,” Obermann said, adding that the entrepreneurial energy he observed surpassed anything he had encountered elsewhere.
Obermann emphasised that Airbus’s engagement with India goes beyond leveraging cost advantages, underlining instead a deep collaboration in co-development and manufacturing. He noted that the company supports India’s “Make in India” strategy by partnering closely with local supply chains—not just as suppliers but as co-developers of components.
He cautioned that true decoupling of global supply chains is unrealistic given how interconnected production has become, but advocated for building “leverage” through global partnerships and mutual dependencies. According to Obermann, the evolving geopolitical landscape presents a unique opportunity for Europe and India to deepen their industrial ties.
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