By Arvind Padmanabhan, IANS,
Dubai : French defence, aerospace and civilian technology major Thales not just believes in creating employment for “enterprising and hard working” Indians at its global projects but also intends to give them job security with an offer of relocation.
In Dubai, for example, Thales is executing two major projects among others – two new airport terminals and the Metro. In the airport project alone, more than 40 percent of its 20,000-strong contract workforce comprises Indian nationals.
“We have not just created these jobs for Indian nationals. We have also helped enhance their skills. They are enterprising and hard working,” said Eric Lenseigne, managing director and country director for the company’s India operations.
“Now, we want to move a step forward. As and when we conclude these projects and when the situation so demands, we even want to relocate the workforce to India, or anywhere else,” Lenseigne told IANS during a visit to the airport and metro facilities here.
“In a way it is connected with our policy on ‘multi-domesticity’ – be a global player in outlook but remain a local partner in progress. This works well both ways. The workers get a sense of job security and we are able to retain talent.”
It is with the help of a large section of Indian workers that Thales has been able to give Dubai a world-class Metro — which also holds the record for running the longest such driverless and automated service.
Not to be outdone, the new Dubai International Airport is a marvel – structurally and in terms of security and communications. Once the expansion concludes, it will handle 70 million passengers annually, with 10,000 access control points and 1,500 surveillance cameras.
“Airport security must be ever vigilant. But for passengers, it must also be the least obtrusive,” said Khalifa Suhail Al Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai World Central, a government initiative to make the emirate an aviation metropolis.
“We think we have achieved the desired objective with a world-class safety and security system with a mix of technology and intelligence,” added the executive chairman, whose group also overseas all airports projects in Dubai.
According to Lenseigne, Thales has installed an ultra-modern communications and security solution at the new airport that ensures highest quality of safety and security to the operator and passengers.
The company is currently implementing the security and communication solutions for the expansion of Dubai International Airport’s Concourse 3, after the successful opening of Terminal 3 Concourse 2.
With over six decades of operations in India, covering both military and civilian space, Thales also has two joint venture agreements with Rolta and Samtel. It also has a technology company in Chennai to develop software for its global customers.
Almost 90 percent of the company’s $260 million business in India comes from the defence sector. It employs some 250 people in India.
(Arvind Padmanabhan can be reached at [email protected])