At a ceremony in Hyderabad, with the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and in the presence of Ross McInnes, Chairman of Safran’s Board of Directors; and Olivier Andriès CEO, Safran inaugurated its largest MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) center for the CFM International LEAP engine.
Headquartered in France, the company also announced two defense investments to support the Rafale fighter aircraft 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.
Safran CEO Olivier Andriès said, “We’re proud to support the rapid growth of India’s civil and defense aerospace markets and actively contribute to the country’s Make in India policy and strategic autonomy. Safran will increase its revenue threefold in India to exceed $3.5 billion by 2030, of which half will be generated by our sites in India. At the same time, Safran will multiply by five its sourcing in the country.”
The new LEAP engine MRO center represents a total investment of $230 milion. This engine powers narrow-body 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.
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 meters or 598 square miles facility, represents an investment of over forty-six million, four hundred thousand dollars $46 million. It will provide MRO services for more than 600 engine modules a year Prioritizing engines on aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), it will also perform MRO for other M88 export customers. The country recently ordered 26 Rafale M naval variants and already operates 36 Rafale and 47 Mirage 2000 fighters.
During the visit, Safran CEO Olivier Andriès also flagged two additional investments announced in February 2025, totaling $35 millon:
- 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.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
