Airbus expects to have more than 5,000 people as direct employees in India and also aims to source services and components worth USD 2 billion from the country in the next couple of years, a top company official said on Thursday.

President of Airbus India and Managing Director South Asia Remi Maillard also said the company's engagement with the country is gaining new momentum.

Currently, the aircraft maker employs around 3,500 people directly in India and sources services and components worth 1 billion euros from the country.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the Airbus India and South Asia Headquarters - Training Centre in the national capital, he said it will further grow the sourcing footprint and that is expected to touch USD 2 billion in the next couple of years.

Also, Airbus' direct employment number in India will cross 5,000 in the next couple of years, he added.

Among others, Airbus will be setting up a second pilot training centre through a joint venture with Air India and will be investing to develop a 5,000-seater Airbus campus in Bengaluru.

Also, the European major will be making the C295 military aircraft and H125 helicopter in India. Both programmes are being done in partnership with the Tata Group.

Maillard also said the Airbus is working with Indian research organisations to support the commercialisation of the first 'Made in India' Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn said 'Make-in-India' is at the heart of the company's strategy.

"The C295 programme is creating history as the first aircraft fully manufactured in India by the private sector," he added.

Further, he said the company is ready to recreate the success of the C295 programme with many of the forthcoming modernisation projects of the Indian armed forces.

These include "the medium transport aircraft programme for which we are prepared to completely industrialise the A400M in India," he noted.

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