Panasonic Avionics Corporation has opened a new software design and development facility in Pune, India, in the presence of Chief Guest, the Honorable Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Shri. Murlidhar Mohol.

The new facility is the first in India dedicated to supporting the development and delivery of in-flight engagement and connectivity (IFEC) solutions. Over 200 skilled engineers have been employed at the point of launch, with growth plans in place to scale the software engineering talent at the facility to support the increasing demand from airlines for IFEC solutions that will deliver personalised experiences for their passengers.

Panasonic Avionics’ new software design and development facility is integral to the company’s strategy of enabling airlines to realize their passenger digital engagement visions by using the most innovative IFEC solutions, supported by best-in-class enterprise software tools that are self-service and designed to lower IFEC solution lifecycle costs.

A range of software will be developed, tested and sustained in state-of-the-art laboratories throughout the facility to deliver passenger experiences for narrowbody and widebody aircraft that meet airlines’ needs. These include the X Series in-flight entertainment system, and digital solutions including airline interactives which enables airlines to create unique seatback passenger experiences, IFEC development support via SDKs (software development kits), and mobile companion apps to name a few.

Ken Sain, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, says: “Innovative, future-focused and proven software is at the heart of every IFEC solution that Panasonic Avionics develops, creating a digital channel that enables our airline customers to engage with their passengers more effectively than ever before.

“With its huge number of skilled engineers, and fast-growing aviation sector, India is a natural location for us to invest in for the future of our business, and we look forward to accelerating our software innovation and design capabilities from our new Pune facility.”

Satyen Yadav, Chief Technology Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, adds: "Today marks a significant milestone as we embark on a journey to accelerate the delivery of personalized digital experiences for airline passengers. We look forward to delivering cutting-edge software solutions that delight customers both in the region and globally, and to growing our software talent in Pune.”

Manish Sharma, Chairman of Panasonic Life Solutions India and South Asia, and Director, Panasonic Avionics India, says: “India has become synonymous with ‘Capability, when it comes to software talent’. Today, India is providing IT support and IT services to the world and Panasonic has invested in setting up innovation centers and global capability centers to provide high quality services to our other subsidiaries across the world. Panasonic Avionics’ facility in Pune is the latest in our series of investments in India and we are looking to cater to multiple markets and airlines with innovative solutions for in-flight engagement and communication (IFEC).”

The new facility in Pune will accelerate Panasonic Avionics’ software development capabilities, and help improve the time to market of robust, next generation IFEC and digital solutions.

To accelerate the growth of the new facility, Panasonic Avionics is developing partnerships with universities in the state of Maharashtra, and right across India, to nurture and develop skilled engineering graduates.

Panasonic Avionics’ new facility in Pune is the latest Panasonic investment in India. Panasonic entered the Indian market in 1972 and since then the company has grown from strength to strength. Now Panasonic Avionics India now joins Panasonic Life Solutions India in its commitment to grow Panasonic’s investment in India. Panasonic Life Solutions currently has 11,000 employees over multiple locations across India.

The new facility has been developed through a ‘build-operate-transfer’ (BOT) operation. It was initiated in 2021 with investment from Panasonic Avionics and has resulted in the creation of a team of skilled engineers who will drive the company’s software design and development from Pune going forward.