In a major boost to indigenous aerospace technology and operational readiness, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday (May 27) signed three contracts with IIT Bombay to develop predictive maintenance solutions for the Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft fleet.
The agreements focus on adopting prognostic and prescriptive maintenance technologies using fully indigenous expertise developed at IIT Bombay. The initiative is expected to improve aircraft availability, reduce maintenance downtime, and strengthen the IAF’s long-term technical self-reliance.
Senior officials from both institutions attended the signing ceremony, including Air Marshal KAA Sanjeeb, AVSM, VSM, Director General (Aircraft), IAF, and IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh B Kedare.
In a post shared on X, IIT Bombay described the collaboration as a “stepping-stone for pathbreaking technology” in military aviation maintenance.
“This is a stepping-stone for pathbreaking technology of using advanced technology for prognostic and prescriptive maintenance, which will be developed using fully indigenous know-how evolved at IIT Bombay,” the institute said.
The institute further noted that the project would “strengthen IAF’s operational readiness, deepen technical self-reliance and accelerate the march of Indian aerospace technology towards the frontiers of predictive, data-driven engineering.”
According to IIT Bombay, the collaboration also aligns with the broader vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the defence sector and demonstrates the capability of Indian academia to create futuristic systems for national security applications.
“This collaboration is in line with the commitment of IAF and IIT Bombay towards Aatmanirbharta in strategic technologies of next generation and also showcases the technological prowess of our academia to develop futuristic systems in India,” the tweet added.
The Su-30 MKI remains the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s combat fleet, and the adoption of predictive maintenance systems is expected to enhance mission readiness and lifecycle management of the aircraft.