NEW DELHI: Safran, the world’s largest aerospace engine manufacturer, has firmed up plans to invest up to 300 million euros (about $305 million) in India. A 200-million-euro maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO) in Hyderabad will be the French MNC’s largest shop facility in the world for LEAP engines when it’s operational by 2025. In India to inaugurate three centres and announce the MRO, Safran global CEO and director Olivier Andries spoke to TOI about “friend” Bharat. Excerpts:
What made Safran choose India for having the largest LEAP engine MRO here?
We have a lot of customer airlines in India using the LEAP engines for their A320neos/B737 MAXs. There is a backlog of 1,500 engines to Indian carriers. India is a very important and strategic market for us. Air traffic here will double in a decade. The MRO will service 300 engines annually and have a work force of 1,000 by 2030 as the capacity grows in phases. It will serve airlines of India and of the region, including the Middle East.
What are the other plans?
We will be opening two IT centres, one each in Hyderabad and Mumbai. These will together hire 1,000 people by 2025, with Hyderabad accounting for 800. In Bengaluru, we are going to inaugurate a new facility in JV with HAL where piping of LEAP engines will be done. We may have another partnership with HAL (on the defence side).
The Tatas are scouting for new planes and engines. Have you been in talks?
We have engaged with the Tatas. Personally as I see it, almost half of the aircraft available (and ordered) globally are owned (ordered) by big leasing companies. So initially the Tatas may need to lease planes from them as delivery for new orders will take time.
Indian carriers have been experiencing snags. Why is the frequency relatively higher here?
The environment of Middle East and India is the most difficult – hot, dusty, sandy and humid (in India’s case). We are taking care of this through technological means.
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