French aircraft engine maker Safran Group to set up MRO facility in India

Defence minister welcomes Safran to be a part of joint development production projects

A delegation of French aircraft equipment maker Safran Group led by its CEO Olivier Andries called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Tuesday.

“During the meeting, Andries briefed Rajnath Singh on Safran’s plans to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in India for overhauling the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines in use by Indian and foreign commercial airlines,” said a Ministry of Defence (MoD) press release on Tuesday.

Safran is one of the leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of advanced aircraft engines for civil and fighter jets. Among its most successful products is the M88 jet engine that powers the Rafale fighter.

Safran is one of the options being weighed by the MoD for partnering the Defence R&D Organisation in developing the indigenous Kaveri engine that would power home-built aircraft, such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

“The MRO facility through direct foreign investment of US $150 million in Hyderabad is expected to create 500-600 highly skilled jobs. The facility will be able to overhaul over 250 engines per year in the beginning,” said the MoD.

Safran’s CEO also apprised Singh of their plan to inaugurate two subsidiaries — Safran Aircraft Engines and Safran Electrical & Power India Pvt Ltd — that will both come up in Hyderabad. Safran Electrical & Power India will produce harnesses for civil and fighter jets.

In addition, Safran plans to set up a joint venture (JV) with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Bengaluru called Safran-HAL Aircraft Engines.

The JV between Safran and HAL will produce rigid piping for aircraft engines including helicopter engines. The JV is expected to hire 160 new highly skilled personnel.

Safran Aircraft Engines, which will be set up on 10 acres in a Hyderabad special economic zone with an investment of €36 million, will produce parts and components for advanced aircraft engines including rotating seals.

The Safran CEO outlined his company’s long-term plans for co-development and co-production of advanced jet engines and transfer of technology in accordance with the existing government of India policy. He also briefed Singh on Safran’s capabilities in areas of technology beyond aircraft engines.

The defence minister welcomed new facilities in Hyderabad and the JV in Bengaluru. He stressed the importance India attaches to the strategic partnership with France.

Singh invited Safran for more co-development and co-production projects in India, in tune with the Indian government’s “Make in India, Make for the World” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” plans.

“We are a big market. However, we are increasingly focused on making in India for addressing the needs in a competitive manner and supplying to friendly foreign countries. You can leverage all the competitive advantages India offers, including the cost advantages and availability of trained manpower,” Singh said.

The minister asserted that both countries can contribute to each other’s capability building.

Safran Aircraft Engines (previously Snecma) is a French aerospace engine manufacturer headquartered in Courcouronnes, France. It designs, makes and maintains engines for commercial and military aircraft as well as rocket engines for launch vehicles and satellites.

Some of Snecma’s most notable developments include the M88 for the Rafale, Olympus 593 engine for the Concorde, CFM56/CFM-LEAP for single-aisle airliners, and Vulcan engines for the Ariane 5 rocket.

On the anvil

• Safran plans to set up maintenance, repair and overhaul facility to overhaul LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines used by commercial airlines

• Safran is one of the options being weighed by MoD for partnering DRDO to develop the Kaveri engine that would power home-built aircraft such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft

• The facility, with FDI of $150 mn in Hyderabad, expected to create 500-600 highly skilled jobs, said MoD

• Safran plans to inaugurate two subsidiaries that will come up in Hyderabad; it also plans to set up JV with HAL in Bengaluru

• JV with HAL will produce rigid piping for aircraft engines including helicopter engines; expected to hire 160 personnel