Across the world, as the needs of transport and defence industries grow, so does the market for aerospace manufacturing. The limitations are not only of equipment and capital but also of skilled labor—in particular, engineers who can handle complex designs while adhering to global quality standards. 

Despite producing thousands of talented engineers every year, India does not yet have a training system that streamlines entry into the aerospace manufacturing industry. Additionally, in its current form, the industry comes with several inefficiencies, from excessive paperwork to inconsistent discipline during the production process. These factors make it difficult for the country’s aerospace suppliers to compete at an international level.

Jeh Aerospace directly addresses these problems. Working out of its Indian offices in Anthireddyguda, Telangana since 2022, this company has found a way to improve both production efficiency as well as technical skills in the sector. Its digital platform may hold the key to a stronger Indian presence on the global aerospace market.

Digitalization and upskilling in aerospace manufacturing

Shifting away from traditional manufacturing conventions, which rely on manual workflows with considerable paperwork, Jeh Aerospace operates a completely paperless manufacturing facility. All elements of the production process—workplace machines, operators, quality systems— are registered on the company’s digital platform and tracked in real time. 

From design preparation to inspection and delivery, the system allows supervisors to save time and effort by collating all relevant data at a single location. For any decision being made, it shows operators a standardized sequence of steps, minimizing the chances of errors or information gaps. Moreover, its AI algorithms help detect production-related problems before they become emergencies. As a result, both time and costs are saved for specialized human teams.

The highly systematic nature of process logging on the platform also lets these teams practice working in a disciplined environment. Jeh Aerospace recognizes the significance of such discipline in the high-stakes field of aerospace manufacturing. Thus, the company has dedicated a department—the Centre for Aerospace Skill—to allow employees to learn and experiment in a controlled setting. The department provides classroom instruction and practical exercises that complement on-the-job skill development, following a curriculum designed by the company’s own leadership team. 

Bringing the platform to the market

In the initial phase of development, Jeh Aerospace drew its funds from seed investments, primarily from General Catalyst. After this, additional investors in the company included IndiGo Ventures and Elevation Capital. So far, the funds raised amount to USD 14–15 million. 

Jeh Aerospace also has a number of supply partners that have facilitated its expansion, with material acquisition beginning in 2024. For CNC machining infrastructure, precision measurement systems, and cutting tools and consumables, it has agreements with leading suppliers from Japan and Europe, the UK, and multinational brands such as Kennametal and Sandvik Coromant, respectively. 

Outcomes from expansion so far

Within 18 months of material acquisition, Jeh Aerospace had delivered over 150,000 components and secured USD 100 million in long-term client contracts. The first of its facilities—located at Anthireddyguda, near the Hyderabad airport—has 250+ employees and occupies a campus of 60,000 sq. ft. with 30+ CNC machining centres. Here, over a hundred operators, quality teams, and engineers have been trained by the in-house Centre for Aerospace Skill. These professionals have since transitioned into roles supporting customers from across the US and Europe. A second facility of 200,000 sq. ft. is planned to become operational later this year. 

Across projects, the company documents an on-time delivery performance rate of 98.7%, backed by strict compliance with international standards in aerospace manufacturing (e.g., AS9100D, ISO 14001). The majority of manufactured components cross quality checks, with a 99.8% first-pass yield. One US-based customer, RH Aero, named Jeh Aerospace its Top New Supplier of 2024. Finally, the company completes close to 24 First Article Inspections a month, with a turnaround period of 2–3 weeks, demonstrating its adherence to manufacturer specifications in product design.

Policy support for the future

Policy-level support within the Indian subcontinent would help scale the impact that Jeh Aerospace has had since launching operations. The training program it provides its engineers, while thorough, has yet to be recognized within India’s national skills framework. Partnerships with skill development bodies such as the NSDC or NCVET would incentivize more engineers to enrol and upskill. 

Another avenue for public intervention is in the certification process. Gaining permissions to export aerospace components is complex, and subsidies or other aid for certified exporters would make the process more rewarding.

These steps could be accompanied by greater investment in aerospace manufacturing in general, especially in industrial clusters around regions such as Hyderabad. This would make material acquisition faster, reducing the fragmentation of the supply chain and saving costs for both manufacturers and export regulators.