The proposed National Centre of Excellence for skilling in aeronautics and defence at Kanpur is envisaged as a world-class institution that will strengthen India’s capacity in aviation skilling, the government said on Thursday.

The Prime Minister announced the establishment of National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) at National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Kanpur, in collaboration with the French government earlier this week.

It will be set up under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

The proposed NCoE... will focus on advanced skill training in aeronautics, maintenance, repair and overhaul, airport operations, defence manufacturing and allied domains.

It is envisaged as a world-class institution that will strengthen India’s capacity in aviation skilling while supporting the country’s growing aerospace and defence ecosystem,” the ministry said in a statement.

Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said the NCoE will not only create a pipeline of globally competent aviation professionals but also deepen India’s strategic partnership with France in emerging and advance technology sectors.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to aligning skills with global standards, enabling mobility, and preparing our youth for emerging opportunities in aeronautics, defence and advanced manufacturing,” the minister added.

The collaboration envisages co-designed curricula, structured training-of-trainers programmes, periodic joint review of programmes, exchange initiatives, language training and development of structured mobility pathways, along with cooperation in aeronautics, space and allied domains.

A Letter of Intent (LoI) has been exchanged between the ministry and the French government in this regard.

This initiative is a part of the India-France Strategic Partnership and the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2025 in the field of skill development and vocational education and training.

With an overall outlay of ₹60,000 crore, PM-SETU aims to upgrade 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the country, modernising infrastructure, aligning curricula with industry demand and strengthening employability outcomes.

In addition to Kanpur’s aviation-focused centre, the other proposed NCoEs will cater to sectoral priorities aligned with regional industrial strengths, including advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies and high-growth service sectors at Ludhiana, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bhubaneswar.