During a ceremony in New Delhi today, HAL and Airbus signed a deal to develop maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities for the A-320 family of aircraft. This partnership with Europe’s largest aircraft manufacturing firm will help India achieve greater self-sufficiency in the aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry. HAL plans to create integrated maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services in India and strives to offer commercial airlines a comprehensive MRO solution in one location.
As part of the agreement, Airbus will provide HAL with the tool package for the A320 family of aircraft and offer HAL specialised consultancy services to assist HAL in establishing an MRO facility for the A-320 family of aircraft. Through their agreement, HAL and Airbus will be able to meet the rising demand for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services in the country and increase the size of the commercial fleet, notably the A320 series of aircraft.
HAL intends to build an integrated MRO hub in the country to offer airlines an efficient MRO service. According to Saket Chaturvedi, the Chief Executive Officer of HAL’s MiG Complex, this action also aligns with the convergence of the civil and military spheres.
Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia underlined that Airbus is committed to growing the aviation ecosystem in India, and developing a robust MRO infrastructure is a critical element of this ecosystem. Maillard was speaking at an event hosted by Airbus India and South Asia.
The facility will be the only one in India when it is finally finished. The collaboration between HAL and Airbus is expected to result in a significant decrease in lead time, an improvement in turnaround time, and a reduction in MRO expenses; as a result, the availability of the fleet for flight operations will be increased. With the necessary permission from the DGCA, the MRO facility for the A-320 aircraft family would be constructed by November 2024 and ready for aircraft induction by that same month. In the not-too-distant future, following getting EASA permission through a partnership with Airbus, this Nashik facility will also be accessible to the entirety of the Asian region.
