Updated on July 01, 2026 • 3 min read
Merlinhawk Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. and Vega Composites have jointly inaugurated a new advanced composites manufacturing facility in Shoolagiri, located in the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, marking a strategic step in strengthening India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.
Strategic Expansion in Aerospace Manufacturing
The new facility, operated under Merlinhawk Composites & Engineering Pvt. Ltd., is designed to produce advanced composite aero structures and high-performance materials. These are critical for next-generation aerospace and defence platforms, including:
- Aircraft structural components
- Unmanned aerial systems (UAS)
- Radar and electronic warfare structures
- High-performance defence applications
The development reinforces India’s push toward becoming a globally competitive hub for aerospace-grade composite manufacturing.
Technology Collaboration and Capability Building
According to R Ramachandra Rao, Founder and Managing Director of Merlinhawk Aerospace, the aerospace sector’s increasing reliance on advanced composites makes integrated domestic capability essential across design, materials, and manufacturing.
The partnership with Vega Composites brings together Italian composite engineering expertise and Indian manufacturing capacity, enabling technology transfer and co-development for global aerospace supply chains.
International Partnership Strengthens Industrial Ecosystem
Roberto Lapini, CEO of Vega Composites, highlighted that the collaboration enables shared development of advanced capabilities, combining European composite expertise with India’s rapidly expanding industrial base.
The facility is expected to support both domestic defence programmes and international aerospace supply chain integration, contributing to long-term industrial growth in the region.
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This article is developed based on real engineering experience, machine testing data, and practical production knowledge from Jota Machinery’s work in advanced composite manufacturing.
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Outlook
As global aerospace platforms increasingly adopt lightweight composite structures to improve performance and efficiency, such cross-border collaborations are expected to play a critical role in scaling production capacity and accelerating technology adoption across emerging aerospace markets.
Bruce Zhou is the Founder of Jota Machinery, where he leads the development of equipment for flexible packaging and advanced composite materials. With experience in composite processing since 2011, his work is centered on practical engineering, product reliability, and building long-term value for manufacturing customers worldwide.
About Bruce Zhou