A New India
Chapter 173 - 173: Global Talent

The office of Prime Minister Rohan was quiet, but the thoughts running through his mind were anything but quiet

India had the ambition, but the expertise needed to create cutting-edge military technology was lacking in many areas.

The idea of importing foreign talent to fill the gap had been circling his mind for weeks, and now, after several conversations with Kurt Tank, it was time to take action.

Rohan stared out the window at the busy streets of Delhi, deep in thought.

The world outside was changing fast, and India needed to catch up.

A knock at the door brought him back to the present.

"Come in," he said, turning toward the entrance.

Kurt Tank entered, followed closely by R.K. Menon, HAL's chief engineer.

The tall, distinguished German aviation expert gave a respectful nod as he took a seat in front of Rohan's desk.

"Prime Minister," Tank began, "I've spoken with Menon, and we both agree, we need to bring in foreign experts. The talent we have here in India is eager and hardworking, but there are gaps in knowledge. Without the right expertise, our progress will be slow, and we cannot afford that."

Rohan leaned forward, his expression serious but thoughtful. "How many experts are we talking about, Kurt? And from where?"

Tank wasted no time in answering. "We should start with Germany, Britain, and perhaps France. There are engineers, scientists, and aviation experts who are either out of work or looking for new opportunities after the war. They have the experience we need to accelerate the progress at HAL. We need specialists in aerodynamics, propulsion, and aircraft electronics."

R.K. Menon chimed in, "We also need consultants for materials science and aircraft design. Our teams are skilled, but we need guidance to handle the more complex parts of production. With their help, we could shorten our timelines significantly."

Rohan nodded. He had been thinking along similar lines, but hearing it from Kurt Tank made it clear that this was the right path.

"Alright," Rohan said, "I'll reach out to our embassies and have them begin the process of contacting foreign experts. We'll make India an attractive place for them to come and work."

Within days, Indian embassies in Germany, Britain, and France began discreetly contacting scientists, engineers, and aviation experts.

The message was simple but powerful: India was on the rise, and it needed the world's best minds to help build its defense industry.

The country offered not just work, but the opportunity to shape history.

The results came quickly.

The first to respond was Hans Müller, a propulsion expert from Germany. He had worked in the aviation industry for years, but after the war, his prospects had dimmed.

The idea of coming to India excited him.

"I've been an engineer my whole life," Müller told his colleagues in Berlin. "And now, India wants to build its own aircraft. Can you imagine the possibilities? They've got Kurt Tank there, this is going to be big."

---

A month later, the first wave of foreign experts began arriving in India.

Kurt Tank and R.K. Menon waited at the airstrip in Bangalore as a small plane touched down.

Hans Müller stepped out, looking around at his new surroundings with a sense of curiosity and excitement.

His eyes lit up as he saw Kurt Tank approaching.

"Kurt!" Müller called, extending his hand with a grin. "It's been too long."

Tank smiled warmly as they shook hands. "Hans, welcome to India. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

The two men, along with R.K. Menon, drove through the bustling streets of Bangalore, heading towards HAL's new facility.

As they rode in the jeep, Menon explained the current state of the project.

"We're moving along with the designs for our fighter jet," Menon said. "But there are problems with the propulsion system. Our engines aren't powerful enough, and we've run into trouble with the fuel efficiency."

Müller nodded, already thinking about solutions. "That's why I'm here. We'll take a look at the designs when we get to the factory. It'll take time, but I'm confident we can get it right."

By the end of the week, more foreign experts had arrived in India.

John Harrison, a British expert in aircraft electronics, was next to arrive in Bangalore.

Despite the recent political tensions between Britain and India, Harrison was excited about the opportunity to work on something new.

"I've heard about the progress being made here," Harrison told Kurt Tank when they first met. "I've worked on some big projects in the UK, but this… this feels like something bigger."

Tank smiled. "It is bigger. We're not just building aircraft, we're building India's future."

As more experts from France, Germany, and Sweden arrived, HAL's team grew stronger.

The foreign experts worked side by side with Indian engineers, sharing knowledge, skills, and ideas.

The air was filled with the sound of discussions, debates, and, above all, innovation.

Meanwhile, as HAL expanded its workforce, Rohan turned his attention to India's educational institutions.

If India was to become truly self-reliant in defense technology, it needed to educate and train the next generation of engineers and scientists.

Rohan called for a meeting with the heads of IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bombay, and IIT Madras.

The IITs had been established to serve as India's leading engineering institutions, but now they needed to take their education to the next level.

"India has the talent," Rohan said, addressing the gathered faculty. "But we need to bring in the best minds from around the world to teach our students. Let's not be shy about inviting foreign professors. If we want to become a technological powerhouse, we need to learn from the best."

Professor Sinha, the head of IIT Kharagpur, nodded in agreement. "Prime Minister, we've already been in talks with several foreign professors. We're ready to invite them to teach courses on aerodynamics, electronics, and materials science."

Rohan smiled. "Good. Let's make sure our students are getting the education they need to build India's future."