Hyderabad: In a big push to the aircraft servicing sector, the number of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facilities in India is expected to reach 200 by 2029 from the current 149, said Civil Aviation Secretary Sameer Kumar Sinha. He was speaking at the Wings India civil aviation event Thursday.
But scale alone is not enough. Noting that only a small share of Indian MROs hold major international approvals such as those from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Sinha underlined the importance of global credibility, certification, and quality.
Without these, Indian facilities struggle to attract foreign airline contracts. The segment that drives MRO as an export industry in hubs such as Singapore and China.
The government views MRO as part of its larger aerospace vision. During the virtual inaugural address at the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi positioned India as an upcoming major civil aviation hub. He emphasised the need to “reduce dependence on others for aviation needs, which will also benefit companies investing in India.”
He pointed to India’s strategic location along major global air corridors, its vast domestic feeder network, and the expansion of long-haul fleets.
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Industry skepticism
Industry executives, however, say translating this vision into global competitiveness requires more than new hangars. “Capital cost, raw material and certification are the key elements,” said Ajay Gururaj, Chief Commercial officer, Dynamatic Technologies Limited speaking at a roundtable discussion during day 2 of Wings India.
India produces aluminium, but much of the aerospace-grade aluminium and specialty alloys used in aviation are still imported. The same applies to composites, now widely used in modern aircraft.
Another challenge highlighted during the discussion was the need for testing and validation infrastructure. Aerospace components and repairs must undergo stringent checks before flight clearance. In the absence of a strong domestic network of accredited testing labs, firms rely on overseas facilities. This naturally raises costs and turnaround times. “A focused effort in testing facilities is essential in India” Gururaj added.
Shekhar Ravindra Sardessai, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Kineco Group, an Indian manufacturer of composite components and assemblies for the global aerospace and defense sectors, said certification remains a long road.
“Just from making it in India to getting it licensed and certified is a long haul. You have to prove reliability to Original Equipment Manufacturers, regulators and airlines,” he said.
Composite manufacturing also depends on specialised tooling systems, much of which is also imported, “sometimes as second-hand tools, reflecting gaps in domestic machine tool capabilities” said Sardessai.
Much of this burden falls on MSMEs, which are integral to aviation supply chains. Industry leaders say policy must help companies cross certification barriers and maintain stable regulations as aerospace investments have long gestation periods.
Sinha said that the next phase will also be technology-driven, “with AI-based predictive maintenance enabling real-time aircraft monitoring.” But that too demands skills and digital infrastructure.
(Edited by Theres Sueep)