MUMBAI: Airbus and Air India inaugurated a world-class pilot training centre in Gurugram, Haryana, said the airline in a press statement issued on Tuesday. “This benchmark facility will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to support the exponential growth of commercial aviation in India,” it said. The 50:50 joint venture facility was inaugurated by India’s minister of civil aviation, Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, in the presence of Air India CEO Campbell Wilson as well as Airbus Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Aircraft Christian Scherer. The new 12,000 sq mcentre will be equipped with 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFSs), along with modern classrooms and briefing rooms. The facility is designed to train pilots for the Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families. The courses are approved by both the DGCA and EASA, ensuring India’s pilot training meets the highest global standards. “Air India is in an expansion mode with 570 new aircraft on order and the new pilot training centre at our Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, a part of which is being executed with Airbus, will help train and upskill pilots who will fuel Air India’s ambition of becoming a world-class airline. This facility is a major step forward in our transformation journey and in making Air India and the Indian aviation industry more self-reliant. With our partners Airbus, we are playing our part in building the aviation infrastructure that India needs as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets,” said Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India. “We are very proud to partner with Air India and the Tata Group on this critical infrastructure project. The inauguration of the training centre is a testament to our shared vision for the future of Indian aviation. This is more than a joint venture; it is a strategic investment in the future of the Indian aerospace industry itself. India is a critical base for Airbus, and this state-of-the-art facility is a testament to our belief in its immense potential,” said Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia. The Gurugram facility will complement the four A320 Family FFSs at the existing Airbus India Training Centre in New Delhi. Together, these two hubs will house a combined total of 14 FFSs, creating a powerful training network. In addition, Airbus is collaborating with local partners to provide world-class maintenance training, ensuring a robust pipeline of technicians and engineers to support the future fleet. The pilot training hubs underline Airbus’ deep commitment to nurturing a comprehensive aerospace ecosystem in India. From manufacturing and engineering to digital innovation and maintenance, Airbus is actively building the foundations of long-term capability. A critical component of this strategy is human capital development as a cornerstone of India’s aviation boom. Through targeted investments in skilling, training, and human capital, Airbus is helping to build the essential backbone of an aerospace industry that will not only serve India’s growth story but also keep it aligned with global standards. These efforts are complemented by partnerships with leading academic institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a unique transport and logistics university based in western India, to develop curricula, fund R&D, and create scholarships. These collaborations are designed to equip India’s young workforce with the competencies needed to power aerospace growth for decades to come.

A global bottle manufacturer has been fined £600,000 after a worker at its Alloa plant sustained severe burns from molten glass and hot water.

The accident took place at the O-I Glass facility in Alloa while the worker was operating a loading vehicle in February 2024.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the 32-year-old employee suffered 8 per cent burns to his body but went on to make a full recovery.

HSE said the “avoidable ordeal” need not have happened if a protective door had been fitted to the vehicle.

The site employs around 500 people and is used for smelting glass into bottles.

As part of this process, rejected molten glass is poured into skips in the basement along with hot water.

On the day of the accident, the worker was operating a shovel loader, clearing the waste molten glass and hot water from the basement floor.

However, there was no protective door on the cab of the vehicle, so some of the materiel spilled on the worker, who has not been named.

The company was fined £600,000 at Stirling Sheriff Court on 23 September, after admitting breaching health and safety legislation.

HSE inspector Kathy Gostick said: “This was an avoidable ordeal for a young worker. It is sheer luck he has been able to recover from his serious injuries.

“This company’s employees worked in this environment with a safety-critical part of the loader missing for a period of almost two years.

“Although the protective front door had been removed and reported to the on-site engineer, drivers had continued to work and operate the loader with it missing.

“Some operatives even described being struck or having footwear burnt by molten glass falling into the cab as a result.”

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She continued: “When work equipment is being selected, its suitability for the environment it is going to be used in must be risk assessed.

“In this case the protective door was not suitable to protect against impacts from hot and molten glass and therefore was often broken and in the end never replaced. Had an appropriate door been selected and maintained in place this accident would not have occurred.”

A spokesman for the company said: “O-I Glass Limited appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court in relation to a health and safety matter at its Alloa facility.

“The company accepted responsibility and co-operated fully and openly with the investigating authorities and the court. Legal proceedings have now concluded.

“O-I acted swiftly in implementing enhanced measures and is committed to maintaining the highest safety standards at all times across its operations.”

Last Updated:September 30, 2025, 22:24 IST

The cut-off date for opting into the UPS has been extended by two months from the earlier deadline of September 30

The move comes after a relatively low response from employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS).

The Finance Ministry on Tuesday announced an extension of the deadline for central government employees to opt for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) till November 30, 2025.

The move comes after a relatively low response from employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS).

In an official communication to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Chairman, the Department of Financial Services, under the Finance Ministry, said the cut-off date for opting into the UPS has been extended by two months from the earlier deadline of September 30.

The ministry explained that several recent positive changes under the UPS, such as the introduction of a switch option, benefits related to resignation and compulsory retirement, and tax exemptions, prompted requests from various stakeholders for more time to make a decision.

Therefore, the new deadline for eligible current employees, past retirees, and legally wedded spouses of deceased retirees to exercise their choice is now November 30. This extension has been approved by the Finance Minister.

The UPS was introduced as an option under the NPS starting April 1, 2025, for central government employees. It offers assured pension payouts and is available to the 23 lakh employees who joined the government after January 1, 2004, when the old pension scheme ended.

Under the UPS, employees contribute 10 per cent of their basic salary and dearness allowance, while the government contributes 18.5 per cent. This is different from the old pension scheme, where employees received 50 per cent of their last basic pay as pension without contributions.

So far, around 31,555 employees had opted for UPS by July 20, and reports suggest approximately 1 lakh employees have signed up till the September 30 deadline.

Additionally, the PFRDA has been asked to update its systems and issue necessary regulations or circulars to implement the government’s decision.

(With inputs from PTI)

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More

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