New Delhi, Nov 26 – The Prime Minister will kick off a new Safran Aircraft Engine Services’ India (SAESI) plant on Wednesday, underscoring India’s growing strength in aviation and space. The hub serves as Safran’s main MRO base for LEAP engines, which power the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.
The PMO said the site represents a “huge step towards the goal of Aatmanirbharta in the aviation sector” and noted that it is not only among the world’s largest engine MRO facilities but also the first instance of a global OEM setting up such operations in India.
Built at a cost of roughly ₹1,300 crore, the state‑of‑the‑art complex covers about 45 000 sqm in the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park–SEZ. It’s geared to handle up to 300 LEAP engines a year and will create jobs for more than 1,000 skilled Indian technicians and engineers when fully operational by 2035. The plant will house cutting‑edge equipment to deliver global‑standard engine maintenance and repair.
“Developing indie MRO capabilities will curb foreign exchange outflows, generate high‑value jobs, strengthen supply‑chain resilience, and solidify India’s standing as a global aviation hub,” the PMO added. The government is pushing for a robust MRO ecosystem through initiatives such as GST reforms in 2024, the 2021 MRO Guidelines, and the 2016 National Civil Aviation Policy, which streamline tax structures and ease royalty obligations.
The facility’s launch marks another significant milestone, positioning India as the first country where a major OEM has begun MRO operations.
The PM is also slated to unveil Skyroot’s inaugural orbital rocket, Vikram‑I, and open Skyroot’s Infinity Campus on Nov 27 at 11 a.m. via video link. “Vikram‑I can launch satellites into orbit,” the PMO said, adding that the Infinity Campus will offer about 200 000 sq ft of workspace for designing, developing, integrating, and testing multiple launch vehicles, with the capacity to build one orbital rocket each month.
Founded by IIT alumni and former ISRO scientists Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, Skyroot took off in November 2022 with its sub‑orbital Vikram‑S launch. “The rapid growth of private space companies demonstrates the success of recent reforms and reaffirms India’s position as a confident, capable global space leader,” the PMO remarked.
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