Hyderabad, Nov 26: Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu exuded confidence on Wednesday that with continued policy reforms, strong industry partnerships, and an emerging skilled workforce, India is set to become a preferred global destination for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
In his address at the inauguration of French aerospace major Safran’s largest Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) centre for the CFM International LEAP engines, he said India has become the fastest-growing MRO market, which is three times the global rate.
“Our MRO market is projected to rise up to 4 billion US dollars by 2031 at an 8.9 per cent growth rate, which is far outpacing the global growth rate of 4.8 per cent. I see this as an unprecedented opportunity for global engine manufacturers looking to partner with India’s rapidly expanding aviation ecosystem,” he said.
Naidu revealed that during the last 11 years, India’s aviation ecosystem has taken a decisive lead by doubling the number of airports, aircraft, and passengers.
Spurred by rising passenger demand, the country’s commercial aircraft fleet has expanded at a rate of 7.6 per cent Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), which is three times the global average. This alone creates demand for over 2,500 Safran engines to power the new aircraft that are coming, he said.
The Union Minister termed the inauguration of the MRO facility as a defining moment in India’s ascent as a global aviation hub for aviation services.
He said that this facility puts India well on the path to emerge as a leading MRO hub by 2030. Once fully operational, it will serve up to 300 engines annually, which presently go out of the country for service.
“Today’s inauguration of the world’s largest engine MRO facility by the Prime Minister is a resounding testament to deep trust and confidence which global OEMs now place in India’s engineering capabilities and infrastructural excellence,” he said.
“Establishment of Safran’s largest LEAP engine MRO in India is a leap of capability, capacity and India’s credibility as an MRO destination. I believe that with the onshore MRO facility in India, Safran Aircraft Engine Services India is set to derive substantial value creation in the Indian MRO sector.”
The Civil Aviation Minister stated that this facility marks a major milestone in achieving the PM’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by localising up to 90 per cent of LEAP engine maintenance by 2030.
Asserting that it will significantly cut dependence on foreign repair centres, reduce turnaround time and lower operational costs for Indian aircraft carrier organisations, he said ultimately the cost saving by airlines will be passed on to Indian passengers.
Naidu said that with the MRO sector getting a significant boost, India will strengthen its aviation ecosystem, which is going to see a capacity of 3,000 more aircraft coming in by the year 2047.
He said he believes that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his vision of ease of doing business, India is fast emerging as a global hub for aircraft engine maintenance.
“After Make in India, train in India, today maintain in India is becoming another strong element in our aviation growth story. With an investment of 150 million, first time, a global engine OEM is setting the type of capability that we are seeing today in Safran. It is projected that by 2028, around 25 per cent of SAFRAN’s global LEAP MRO is expected to come from India,” he said.
The minister listed out the progressive measures taken by the Central government, which stimulated MRO development in the country.
He claimed that as a result of these initiatives, the total number of MRO facilities increased from 96 in 2014 to 166 in 2025.
He, however, admitted that despite this projected growth, some challenges still exist. “Today, import dependence for online maintenance is only 10-20 per cent, but for components, airframes and engines, reliance still exceeds 60 per cent. Indian carriers send aircraft abroad to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia for heavy maintenance, which is expensive and time-consuming for us. Considering the fact that engine overhaul alone accounts for 45 per cent of the MRO market, I see unique advantages to make in India an MRO hub… savings of up to 15 billion dollars in foreign exchange over the next 10 years,” he added.
–IANS