New Delhi [India], November 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility located at the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park - SEZ, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, on November 26, at 10 AM via video conferencing.

SAESI is Safran's dedicated Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility for LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engines, which power the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, according to a release from PMO.

The establishment of this facility marks a significant milestone, as it is not only one of the largest global aircraft engine MRO facilities but also the first time a global engine OEM (original equipment manufacturer) has set up an MRO operation in India, the release stated.

Spread across 45,000 sqm within the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park - SEZ, the state-of-the-art facility developed with an initial investment of around Rs 1,300 crore. Designed to service up to 300 LEAP engines annually, the SAESI facility will employ over 1,000 highly skilled Indian technicians and engineers upon achieving full operational capacity by 2035. The facility will feature advanced process equipment to deliver world-class engine maintenance and repair services.

The MRO facility will be a huge step towards the goal of Aatmanirbharta in the aviation sector. Developing indigenous capabilities in MRO will reduce foreign exchange outflows, create high-value employment, strengthen supply-chain resilience and position India as a global aviation hub, the release stated.

The government of India is actively working to build a robust MRO ecosystem to support the sector's rapid growth. Key policy initiatives of the government -- including GST reforms in 2024, MRO Guidelines 2021, and the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016--have simplified operations for MRO providers by rationalising tax structures and reducing royalty burdens, the release added. (ANI)