New Delhi, Nov 26 (NationPress) Highlighting India's remarkable capabilities in aviation and space, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to open the Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility on Wednesday.

This facility serves as Safran's exclusive Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hub for LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engines that power both the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stated that this represents a monumental stride towards achieving Aatmanirbharta within the aviation sector.

According to the PMO, “The facility is not only among the largest global aircraft engine MRO centers but also marks the inaugural establishment of a global engine OEM (original equipment manufacturer) conducting MRO operations in India.”

With a significant investment of around Rs 1,300 crore, this state-of-the-art facility spans 45,000 sqm in the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park-SEZ.

Designed to manage up to 300 LEAP engines each year, the SAESI facility is expected to employ over 1,000 skilled Indian technicians and engineers by 2035, once it reaches full operational capacity, according to the PMO.

The facility will incorporate advanced process equipment to provide top-notch engine maintenance and repair services.

The PMO further emphasized that fostering indigenous MRO capabilities will help minimize foreign exchange expenditures, generate high-value jobs, bolster supply-chain resilience, and position India as a global aviation hub.

The Indian government is actively engaged in creating a solid MRO ecosystem to facilitate the sector's rapid expansion.

Key government initiatives—such as GST reforms in 2024, MRO Guidelines 2021, and the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016—have streamlined operations for MRO providers by optimizing tax frameworks and easing royalty obligations.

The launch of this facility is a significant achievement, as it not only stands as one of the world’s largest aircraft engine MRO facilities but also marks the first time a global engine OEM has initiated MRO operations in India.

In addition, the Prime Minister is anticipated to unveil Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, and inaugurate Skyroot’s Infinity Campus on November 27 at 11 a.m. via video conferencing.

The PMO noted, “Vikram-I is equipped to launch satellites into orbit.”

“Infinity Campus will feature a cutting-edge facility encompassing approximately 200,000 square feet of workspace for the design, development, integration, and testing of various launch vehicles, with the capacity to produce one orbital rocket per month,” it added.

Founded by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, alumni of Indian Institutes of Technology and former ISRO scientists turned entrepreneurs, Skyroot launched its sub-orbital rocket, Vikram-S, in November 2022.

The rapid emergence of private space companies underscores the success of the transformative reforms implemented by the government in recent years, reinforcing India’s position as a confident and capable global space power, as stated by the PMO.