Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday virtually inaugurated French major Safran’s maintenance, repair and overhaul facility for LEAP engines that power commercial aircraft.
The Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility in the city will be operational in 2026 and will be a major boost for the country’s indigenous capabilities in the fast-growing aviation sector.
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 A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
LEAP engines are manufactured by CFM International, an equal joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospace.
India is one of the world’s fastest growing civil aviation markets and domestic carriers have placed orders for over 1,500 planes.
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 Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had said in a release on Tuesday.
It had also said that developing indigenous capabilities in MRO will reduce foreign exchange outflows, create high-value employment, strengthen supply-chain resilience and position India as a global aviation hub.
In a statement, the GMR Aerospace Park Hyderabad said it has marked a historic milestone by hosting Safran’s largest Indian Engine Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the GMR Aerospace & Industrial Park, Hyderabad. The upcoming facility will revolutionise engine support for both commercial airlines and the Indian defence sector, positioning Hyderabad among the world’s premier aviation MRO centres.
From commercial to defence aviation, GHASL has evolved into a powerhouse of precision engineering and infrastructure delivery. Its ecosystem, comprising India’s most comprehensive airframe MRO, advanced logistics, and industrial infrastructure, has become a magnet for global OEMs and operators.
Spanning 43,700 square meter on a 23.5 acre site within the SEZ, the facility will be Safran’s largest engine centre globally. The operations are expected to begin by December 2025, positioning GHASL at the forefront of India’s aerospace infrastructure, setting new global benchmarks in scale, precision, and sustainability.
Speaking on the occasion, Aman Kapoor, CEO, GMR Airport and Land Development, said, “At GMR, we take immense pride in enabling India’s aviation and defence capabilities through world-class infrastructure. “
He further said that from creating one of the country’s most advanced airframe MROs to now constructing Safran’s civil engine facilities, GMR continues to demonstrate the Group’s engineering excellence and strategic foresight.
“These developments mark a transformative step in India’s Make-in-India and Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, strengthening the country’s position as a global aerospace hub,” he concluded.
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