Merlinhawk Aerospace , in partnership with Italy-based Vega Composites, recently inaugurated its advanced composites manufacturing facility, Merlinhawk Composites & Engineering, at Shoolagiri in the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor. The facility marks a key step in strengthening India’s position as a globally competitive aerospace manufacturing hub.

The facility was inaugurated by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, PVSM, AVSM, NM, Former Chief of Naval Staff, in the presence of senior industry leaders, global partners and stakeholders from India’s defence and manufacturing ecosystem. The project formalises a strategic India–Italy collaboration, combining European expertise in advanced materials with India’s growing engineering and industrial capabilities.

The Shoolagiri facility is designed to manufacture advanced composite aero structures and high-performance materials for next-generation aerospace and defence platforms, including aircraft, unmanned systems, radar structures, electronic warfare systems and other defence applications. Its integrated capabilities include cleanroom layup, precision cutting, autoclave curing and five-axis CNC machining, enabling end-to-end composite manufacturing from design to delivery within India.

The facility also represents a shift in India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem from build-to-print production to design-led, high-value engineering. With globally aligned manufacturing technologies and equipment sourced from leading European partners, the unit is positioned to support technology transfer, advanced materials capability and integration into global aerospace supply chains.

Aligned with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, the facility is expected to support the indigenisation of critical aerospace technologies and strengthen the Tamil Nadu Defence Corridor. At full capacity, it is expected to employ over 200 skilled professionals, with a focus on training, knowledge transfer and advanced materials expertise.