Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], November 26 (ANI): French defence and aviation major Safran's just-inaugurated MRO facility in Hyderabad could be a step-up towards India's ambition to become an aviation hub.

Talking to reporters after the inauguration of Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility located at the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park - SEZ, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, on Wednesday, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said this Safran's MRO initiative is going to open up the space, create more trust, more confidence in the foreign players to come to India.

'We see this as a major intervention that Safran has done here because this is a foreign MRO, foreign OEM which has come to India and openly set up by partnering up with India. So this is going to open up the space, create more trust, more confidence in the foreign OEMs to come to the country,' he told the reporters.

This Safran MRO facility, he termed, it to be a gateway for the future.

'We see today's inauguration of the Safran as a gateway to more MROs to come into the country,' he added.

The new engine test bench at Safran's Hyderabad facility, the minister said, will reduce aircraft engine maintenance time by about 25 per cent. '...The test bench that they have created for the MRO facility here in Hyderabad airport, this is going to reduce the time that it takes to maintain the aircraft engine by 25 per cent.'

Also, the Safran MRO facility has the potential to serve not just India but the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and nearby regions, making India a competitive MRO destination, he added.

The establishment of this facility marks a significant milestone, as it is not only one of the largest global aircraft engine MRO facilities but also the first time, a global engine OEM (original equipment manufacturer) has set up an MRO operation in India.

The MRO facility will be a huge step towards the goal of Aatmanirbharta in the aviation sector. 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. The Government of India is actively working to build a robust MRO ecosystem to support the sector's rapid growth. Key policy initiatives of the government -- including GST reforms in 2024, MRO Guidelines 2021, and the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016--have simplified operations for MRO providers by rationalizing tax structures and reducing royalty burdens.

Talking to reporters further, Naidu said India has been an important vertical for India, which has been targeted as a country for a long time.

Naidu sees more global MROs coming to India, given its demand and talent.

India currently operates about 850 commercial aircraft, with about 1,700 aircraft on order from various airlines. By 2047, the expected fleet size would be 3,000 aircraft.

Massive fleet growth would necessitate significant expansion of MRO facilities across the country, the minister noted. (ANI)