India at heart of Thales's global strategy: Firm's newly appointed VP for country operations

New Delhi, Sep 10 (PTI) Defence major Thales on Wednesday announced the appointment of Ankur Kanaglekar as vice president for its India operations. Kanaglekar will focus on scaling up industrial collaboration, reinforce local innovation and deliver advanced solutions across defence, aerospace, and cyber and digital markets, the company said in a statement.

The executive will lead Thales's development in India, across wide-ranging sectors from aerospace and defence to cyber and digital, "reinforcing the company's commitment to nation building and the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision." Before joining Thales, Kanaglekar spent 14 years at Boeing in India, most recently as an executive director, in which position he spearheaded global co-development and co-production initiatives for defence platforms, led large sales campaigns, and shaped several strategic growth initiatives, the firm said.

The appointment, effective from Wednesday, underlines Thales's commitment to expanding its footprint, strengthening local partnerships and accelerating innovation in support of the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision, it added.

With over 25 years of experience in the aerospace and defence industry and consulting, Kanaglekar brings a wealth of expertise in driving strategic growth, fostering partnerships, and leading high-stakes initiatives, the global company said.

"India is at the heart of Thales's global strategy, and I am truly honoured to have this opportunity to lead our operations at such a pivotal time. I look forward to working closely with our partners, teams, and other stakeholders to accelerate growth, deepen localisation, and make a meaningful contribution to nation building, supporting India's technological ambitions and self-reliance journey," Kanaglekar was quoted as saying in the statement.

Pascale Sourisse, President & CEO, Thales International, said, "We remain deeply committed to the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision and to fostering enduring partnerships across the ecosystem." PTI KND VN VN