Andhra to get first aerospace SEZ

Hyderabad: The country’s first exclusive aerospace SEZ (special economic zone), Aerospace Park, would come up in Andhra Pradesh.

Dr Kota Harinarayana, an eminent aerospace scientist, heads the Advisory Group for implementation of the SEZ, which would focus on manufacturing of defence, aerospace and commercial aircraft components.

Mr Praful Patel, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, and Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, have opened a plaque announcing the SEZ to come up at Adibhatla village near Hardware Park in Ranga Reddy district.

The Centre is expected to notify the SEZ shortly.

The SEZ would be developed by Samuha Group, an association of about 30 companies in Andhra Pradesh that supply various components to the aerospace industry.

It would also house testing and calibration laboratories. “We have formed Samuha in order to combine our strengths,” Mr R. Siva Kumar, Managing Director, Samuha, told Business Line.

Samuha is a co-developer with AP Industrial and Infrastructure Corporation for the establishment of the 250-acre SEZ.

The Tatas have been allocated 50 acres at the SEZ where it would invest Rs 500 crore in setting up manufacturing facilities for defence and aerospace-related equipment.

Mr Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Group wrote a letter to Dr Rajasekhara Reddy, indicating the investments.

“The Samuha Group represents companies with a total turnover of Rs 700 crore. We will cross the Rs 1,000-crore mark in the next two years,” Mr Siva Kumar said.

Meanwhile, Dr Rajasekhara Reddy also announced Lepakshi Aerospace Station and Academy (LASA) at Chilamattur in Anantapur district.

“We are going to leverage the proximity with the international airport at Bangalore,” he said.