Surendra Ahuja will be Boeing Defence India MD

Boeing has announced the appointment of Surendra Ahuja as managing director of Boeing Defence India (BDI), based in New Delhi, according to a Boeing press release on Tuesday.

Ahuja will lead BDI in alignment with Boeing’s accelerated growth strategy for India. This includes the execution of current and future programmes across all BDI business sectors in a collaborative environment with Boeing Defense Space and Security (BDS) and Boeing Global Services (BGS). Ahuja will be responsible for delivering on Boeing’s commitments to its Indian defence customers while positioning it for new business opportunities. Ahuja will work closely with Salil Gupte recently appointed as the leader and president of Boeing India.

Torbjorn (Turbo) Sjogren, vice president, International Government & Defence, said: “We are thrilled to have Surendra Ahuja join our team. His vast experience and capable leadership will allow us to accelerate growth in India and build upon the value we provide to our defence customers.”

Ahuja joins Boeing from the Indian Navy where he served as Rear Admiral before early retirement in 2018. He has held several leadership and operational roles with the Indian Navy, as well as an assignment with the US India Defence Trade & Technology Initiative (DTTI), where he led the joint working group of Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation from inception, in co-operation with the US Navy.

As a former Indian Navy Test Pilot, Ahuja has flying experience on 22 different types of aircraft. He also holds the distinction of becoming the first Indian pilot to fly from a US Navy aircraft carrier. He was awarded the Vishisht Seva medal by the President of India in January 2018, for his exceptional devotion to duty.

Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India, said: “We welcome Surendra Ahuja to Boeing India and fully support him to further strengthen our work in the country. I look forward to collaborating with him to deliver enhanced quality and capability to our defence customers.”

BDI is a local entity that provides holistic lifecycle solutions for government and defence customers in India and around the globe.