Hyderabad is set to strengthen its pipeline of skilled Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) professionals as Telangana targets greater participation in aerospace, defence and advanced manufacturing, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu said at a national conference on Sunday.
The minister said demand for NDE professionals was expected to rise in the coming years as these sectors expanded. NDE specialists inspect materials, components and equipment without damaging them, making their work important to the safety, quality and reliability of aircraft, helicopters and other aerospace and defence systems.
Sridhar Babu said the Telangana government wanted to equip young people in the state with industry-relevant skills and build a workforce capable of meeting the requirements of emerging sectors. He called for collaboration between the government, industry, universities and research institutions to strengthen the NDE ecosystem.
The minister was speaking at NDE–2026, a national conference on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies organised by the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing (ISNT) in Hyderabad. The conference comes as advanced materials and emerging technologies reshape manufacturing, increasing the need for inspection and testing methods to evolve alongside production processes.
The proposed institutional step is an NDE Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad. Responding positively to ISNT’s proposal, Sridhar Babu asked the organisation to submit a detailed proposal for the government’s consideration. The source report did not specify the proposed centre’s location, investment, facilities, operational model or timeline.
The proposal places skills development and industrial infrastructure within the same policy conversation. NDE capability is required not only to train professionals but also to support the testing, certification and quality-control processes that allow manufacturers to supply high-value sectors. The minister said the state was looking beyond manufacturing to create a broader ecosystem that could help local industries compete in global markets.
Sridhar Babu also linked the initiative to the government’s efforts to strengthen the Made in Telangana brand and increase the state’s participation in global supply chains. He said efforts were being made to connect local industries with international markets and help them access growing opportunities in aerospace and defence.
The next formal step is for ISNT to submit its detailed proposal for the Centre of Excellence to the Telangana government. Further decisions on the centre’s structure, funding, partners and implementation will depend on the government’s consideration of that proposal.
