Swedish defence and security giant Saab has inaugurated a state-of-the-art IT engineering and development centre in Hyderabad, reaffirming its commitment to India and bolstering its global research and development (R&D) capabilities. The newly launched Saab Engineering India Pvt. Ltd. is set to become a pivotal hub for advanced software engineering, electronic systems, mechanical design, and industrial engineering, contributing to Saab’s international product development pipeline.

A Strategic Commitment to India’s Defence Ecosystem

In a formal statement, Saab highlighted that the new Hyderabad centre strengthens its long-term collaboration with India and extends its global R&D infrastructure. “Saab takes forward its long-term commitment to India by strengthening the company’s global development capabilities and deepening its footprint in the Indian defence and security ecosystem,” the company said.

The facility was officially inaugurated by Christian Kamill, Deputy Head of Mission at the Swedish Embassy in India, along with Jessica Öberg, CEO of Combitech, Saab AB’s fully-owned subsidiary.

A Launchpad for Advanced Innovation and Growth

According to Saab, the centre is already staffed with a team of highly skilled Indian engineers and is expected to scale rapidly in the coming years, reflecting the nation’s strength in tech innovation and its strategic value to Saab’s global operations. The Hyderabad centre is designed to deliver cutting-edge R&D and engineering services that will support both Saab’s core programmes and other key sectors like telecom and security technology.

Jessica Öberg stated, “This centre enhances our ability to co-develop cutting-edge technologies and underscores our commitment to the ‘Make in India’ initiative by investing in local talent for the global market.” She added that the centre is strategically aligned to empower value creation for Saab and its customers worldwide.

Saab’s Vision for a Self-Reliant Defence Manufacturing Ecosystem in India

Mats Palmberg, Chairman and Managing Director of Saab India Technologies, emphasized the significance of this move as a continuation of Saab’s engagement with India. “This facility will not only support our global programmes but also support India’s aspiration to be a self-reliant defence manufacturing hub,” Palmberg noted.

Focus Areas and Contributions

The Hyderabad centre is already contributing to a wide range of activities, including:

• Software development and engineering services for core defence applications

• Innovation-driven research and development (R&D) for advanced technology solutions

• Development of integrated systems for aerospace, weapons, command and control, sensors, and underwater systems

The Saab Engineering India team provides comprehensive services across:

• Software and system engineering

• Mechanical and electrical design

• Embedded systems development

• System integration and verification

Rapid Scaling Driven by Indian Talent

Interestingly, the centre was originally planned to scale to 150 engineers over three years, but this target has already been achieved, underlining the robust talent pool available in India and the strategic importance of the Hyderabad tech ecosystem. The rapid scaling reflects the efficiency and skill level of Indian engineers and the favourable infrastructure available in the region.

Saab’s Global Operations and Local Impact

Headquartered in Sweden, Saab is a global name in the design, manufacture, and maintenance of high-end systems in aeronautics, command and control, underwater systems, sensors, and weapons systems. Its presence in India continues to grow in alignment with its objective to support indigenous defence capability building.

This development is also seen as a strong contribution to the Indian Government’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives in the defence and aerospace sectors. The new entity will help bring high-value technology jobs to India, increase local capacity in mission-critical systems development, and further integrate Indian capabilities into Saab’s global projects.

Conclusion: A Win-Win for India and Saab

With this major step, Saab solidifies its position as a trusted global player deeply invested in India’s defence sector, not just from a commercial standpoint, but also from a strategic, technological, and developmental perspective. The Hyderabad centre stands as a beacon of Indo-Swedish collaboration in defence R&D, demonstrating the power of combining global vision with local excellence.

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