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Safran Expands India Presence for Civil and Military Aviation
Safran inaugurated the world's largest LEAP MRO in Hyderabad, broke ground on the Rafale M88 engine MRO, and signed a joint venture with BEL for the Hammer weapon.
www.safran-group.com
At a ceremony in Hyderabad with the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India; in presence of Ross McInnes, Chairman of Safran’s Board of Directors; and Olivier Andriès, Chief Executive Officer; Safran inaugurated its largest MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) center for the CFM International LEAP engine. The Group also announced two defense investments to support the Rafale program in India. These moves underscore Safran’s deepening commitment to “Make in India,” bolstering local manufacturing and creating jobs in the civil and military aerospace sectors.
The new LEAP engine MRO center represents a total investment of €200 million and will be operational in 2026. The 45,000-square-meter facility will ramp up to a capacity of 300 LEAP shop visits a year and boast a next-generation test bench. It will support the rapid growth in the region of the CFM International LEAP fleet, which powers most latest-generation narrowbody aircraft, including the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. India is CFM’s third-largest market, with five Indian carriers operating more than 400 LEAP-powered aircraft and 2,000 engines on order. The new site will employ more than 250 people at launch and up to 1,100 at full capacity. An on-site training center will train more than 100 Indian technicians and engineers each year, building skills and driving operational excellence.
Safran also officially announced a new MRO shop dedicated to the M88 engine powering the Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jet. Located in Hyderabad, adjacent to the LEAP engine center, the 5,000-square-meter facility represents an investment of over €40 million. It will provide MRO services for more than 600 engine modules a year and will employ up to 150 people at full capacity. Prioritizing engines on aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), it will also perform MRO for other M88 export customers. India is a long-standing customer for Safran’s military engines. The country recently ordered 26 Rafale M naval variants and already operates 36 Rafale and 47 Mirage 2000 fighters.
In addition, on 24 November in New Delhi, Safran signed a Joint Venture and Cooperation Agreement with Bharat Electronics Limited to manufacture Safran Electronics & Defense’s “Hammer” modular air-to-surface weapon. The Hammer can be integrated on multiple aircraft types, including the Rafale and India’s single-seat HAL Tejas.
During the visit, Safran CEO Olivier Andriès also flagged two additional investments announced in February 2025, totaling more than €30 million:
- An engineering center in Bangalore specializing in avionics and actuators, now operational and growing to 250 employees.
- An electronics and actuation manufacturing facility in Bangalore with 400 employees, starting operations in 2026.
Safran has been a strategic partner to the Indian Armed Forces for 70 years, notably in helicopter engines with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Defense cooperation has deepened in recent years, as illustrated by SAFHAL, the joint venture between Safran Helicopter Engines and HAL. In 2024, SAFHAL began designing the Aravalli engine for two future heavy helicopters for the Indian Armed Forces.
www.safran-group.com
www.safran-group.com
