Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], November 26 : Global defence and aviation major Safran on Wednesday affirmed that it will "multiply by five" its sourcing from India, as it inaugurated its largest MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) centre for the CFM International LEAP engine in Hyderabad.
The inauguration event was virtually attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the national capital.
Safran CEO Olivier Andriès also vowed that it will triple its revenue in India to exceed 3 billion euros by 2030, of which half will be generated by its sites in India.
Safran CEO Olivier Andriès said, "I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Government for their support and trust, which makes our growth in India possible. The two new MRO centers in Hyderabad dedicated to the LEAP and M88 engines and our new joint venture with BEL underscore India's importance to our Group. We're proud to support the rapid growth of India's civil and defense aerospace markets and actively contribute to the country's Make in India policy and strategic autonomy."
According to a statement from Safran, the Group also announced two defence investments to support the Rafale program in India. These announcements are part of its commitment to "Make in India," bolstering local manufacturing and creating jobs in the civil and military aerospace sectors.
The new LEAP engine MRO centre, inaugurated today, represents a total investment of Euro 200 million and will be operational in 2026, Safran said in their statement.
The 45,000-square-metre facility will ramp up to a capacity of 300 LEAP shop visits a year.
It will support the rapid growth in the region of the CFM International LEAP fleet, which powers most latest-generation narrowbody aircraft, including the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.
India is CFM's third-largest market, with five Indian carriers operating more than 400 LEAP-powered aircraft and 2,000 engines on order.
The new site will employ more than 250 people at launch and up to 1,100 at full capacity.
An on-site training centre will train more than 100 Indian technicians and engineers each year, building skills and driving operational excellence, the Safran statement said.
As per the Safran statement, it has also officially announced a new MRO shop dedicated to the M88 engine powering the Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jet. Located in Hyderabad, adjacent to the LEAP engine centre, the 5,000-square-meter facility represents an investment of over Euro 40 million.
It will provide MRO services for more than 600 engine modules a year and will employ up to 150 people at full capacity.
"Prioritizing engines on aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), it will also perform MRO for other M88 export customers. India is a long-standing customer for Safran's military engines. The country recently ordered 26 Rafale M naval variants and already operates 36 Rafale and 47 Mirage 2000 fighters," the Safran statement read.
In addition, on November 24 in New Delhi, Safran signed a Joint Venture and Cooperation Agreement with Bharat Electronics Limited to manufacture Safran Electronics & Defence's "Hammer" modular air-to-surface weapon. The Hammer can be integrated on multiple aircraft types, including the Rafale and India's single-seat HAL Tejas.
Safran said it has been operating in India for more than 70 years and today has 18 sites and employs 3,000 people in the country.
Addressing the event virtually from New Delhi, PM Modi said India's aviation sector is set to take a new flight with the inauguration of this MRO facility today.
"Safran's new facility will help establish India as a global MRO hub. It will also open new opportunities for our youth. I am hopeful that Safran's investment in India will continue at the same momentum," the prime minister said.
"India's aviation sector has advanced at an unprecedented pace in the past few years. Today, India is among the world's fastest-growing domestic aviation markets," PM Modi added.
India, he told the gathering, is dreaming big, doing bigger and delivering the best.
"We consider those investing in India not just as investors, but as co-creators. We consider them stakeholders in the journey of a developed India," he said.
"In the past few years, India's aviation sector has advanced at an unprecedented pace. Today, India is among the fastest-growing domestic aviation markets in the world. Our domestic market is now the third-largest globally. The aspirations of the people of India are reaching the skies," he further said in his virtual address.
"With the rapid expansion of India's aviation sector, the need for maintenance, repair and MRO services has grown significantly. Nearly 85 per cent of our MRO work was being carried out overseas, which increased costs, caused delays, and kept aircraft grounded for long periods. This is why the Government of India is now actively developing the country as a strong MRO hub," PM Modi said.
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