Revolutionizing Aerospace Manufacturing: Embracing Smart Factories and Lean Practices

Webinar Recap: Smart Factories & Lean Manufacturing in Aerospace

Date: 31st July 2025
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM IST
Platform: Zoom

Meshmix Media, in collaboration with IMS Foundation and Laghu Udyog Bharati Karnataka, successfully hosted the third session of its Knowledge Series, focusing on “Smart Factories & Lean Manufacturing in Aerospace.” The event brought together leading voices in aerospace, defence, and manufacturing innovation to discuss the sector’s future in India.

Distinguished Panelists:

• Himanshu Jadhav, Director & CEO, Jendamark India Pvt. Ltd.
• Colonel KV Kuber, Indian Army Veteran, Director – Aerospace & Defence, Ernst & Young LLP
• Federico Poli, Aerospace & Defence Group Industry Manager, Marposs
• Biswajit Bhattacharya, Lead Client Partner & Automotive Industry Leader, IBM Consulting India & South Asia

Key Highlights & Takeaways

Smart Manufacturing in Aerospace

The panel discussion opened with insights into how smart factories and lean manufacturing can transform the aerospace sector. Himanshu Jadhav from Jendamark India discussed how solutions developed for the automotive industry can be adapted to aerospace, especially for complex assemblies. Biswajit Bhattacharya emphasized the critical role of digital agility, data-driven decision-making, and supply chain resiliency in aerospace manufacturing.

Federico Poli highlighted the rising global demand for aerospace components and stressed the need for end-to-end process monitoring and advanced inspection systems to ensure quality and efficiency.

Lean Practices and Industry 4.0 Integration

The speakers explored the need for gradual, ROI-driven adoption of smart manufacturing technologies. Mr. Bhattacharya explained the importance of beginning with small steps—like barcode scanning and digital work instructions—before progressing to complex systems such as MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning).

Colonel KV Kuber shared his experience from Ernst & Young, detailing India’s evolving defence procurement landscape and the growing need for a robust and credible indigenous manufacturing base.

Cybersecurity in Smart Factories

Cybersecurity emerged as a crucial topic, with Mr. Bhattacharya citing that 87% of manufacturing sector cyberattacks originate from phishing. He advocated for a Zero Trust architecture, AI-based threat detection, and integrating cybersecurity protocols from the design phase. Dinesh and Himanshu added that resilience and preparedness, through continuous training and audits, are key to mitigating these risks.

MSMEs and Digital Transformation

The discussion acknowledged the digital divide for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). Panelists encouraged treating MSMEs as collaborative partners in the digital ecosystem, offering them tailored incentives and simplified adoption models. Cultural resistance to technology was addressed, with an appeal to embrace digital solutions already common in daily life.

Aerospace and Defence Industry Synergies

Colonel Kuber discussed how competition in the private sector has enhanced production efficiency and reduced costs, enabling greater defence procurement. He emphasized precision, scalability, and regulatory compliance as pillars of a strong aerospace manufacturing framework. Federico Poli shared practical applications of Marposs’ solutions for inspection, quality control, and process automation in aerospace.

Future Outlook & India Manufacturing Show

The session concluded with a look at the road ahead. Dinesh announced the India Manufacturing Show, supported by the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Steel, and Ministry of Heavy Industries, scheduled for 6th–8th November 2025 in Bengaluru. The event will host a dedicated aerospace and defence track, along with a 13-session series to continue the momentum of this knowledge-sharing initiative.

Conclusion

The webinar offered valuable insights into how India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing sectors can leverage smart factory concepts and lean methodologies to achieve global competitiveness. With a focus on innovation, cybersecurity, workforce development, and MSME empowerment, the session laid a strong foundation for future discussions and collaborations in the industry.

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