A big leap

■ The newly launched Safran MRO centre will service LEAP engines used in Airbus A320 Neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with full operations slated for 2026.

■ India’s fast-growing aviation sector—now the world’s third-largest domestic market—is driving a massive rise in fleet expansion, with airlines ordering over 1,500 new aircraft.

■ With nearly 85% of MRO work currently done abroad, the new facility is part of India’s push to develop itself into a major global MRO hub.

■ The SAESI unit, built with an investment of Rs1,300 crore, will eventually service up to 300 engines annually and employ over 1,000 skilled technicians and engineers by 2035.

■ Indigenous MRO capacity is expected to cut foreign exchange outflow, reduce turnaround time, boost supply-chain resilience, and strengthen India’s position as an aviation manufacturing and services hub.

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

French major Safran’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility for LEAP engines used in commercial aircraft was inaugurated here on Wednesday. Soon after virtually inaugurating the centre, PM Modi said, “India is now seen as a trusted partner, a major market, and a rising manufacturing hub.

India today has rapid growth, a stable government, a reform-oriented mind-set, a vast young talent pool, and a large domestic market. And most importantly, for those investing in India, the country considers them not merely as investors but as co-creators, stakeholders in the journey of Viksit Bharat (Developed India).”   

India's airline companies have ordered more than 1,500 new aircraft, he said. With the rapid expansion of India’s aviation sector, the need for MRO facilities has also increased, he further said, adding that nearly 85 percent of the country's MRO work has been taking place abroad. This has led to higher costs, longer turnaround times, and aircraft remaining grounded for extended periods.

He said that such a situation was not suitable for a vast aviation market like India. Therefore, the Government of India is developing the nation as one of the world's major MRO hubs, he said.

Modi said he would like Safran to use India's talent and opportunities for propulsion design and manufacturing, as the country is not just dreaming big, but taking big decisions and achieving even bigger achievements. According to him, the country opened the doors of the economy, secondly strengthened its fundamentals and thirdly made business easier.

"In addition, today 100 per cent FDI is possible in most sectors. In sectors such as defence, where there was no place for the private sector earlier, 74 per cent FDI has been opened automatically. There is also a lot of progress in the space sector," he explained.

The facility, set up with an initial investment of Rs 1,300 crore, is for the LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engines, which power the narrow-body Airbus A320 Neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. LEAP engines are manufactured by CFM International, an equal joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospace, the release had added.

Designed to service up to 300 LEAP engines annually, SAESI facility will employ over 1,000 highly skilled Indian technicians and engineers upon achieving full operational capacity by 2035, the release issued on Tuesday said.