SAFRAN AND HAL SIGN MOU TO DEVELOP INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION IN COMMERCIAL ENGINES PARTS MANUFACTURING

India’s leading aviation company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran Aircraft Engines, the French global leader in aero engine design, development and manufacturing, signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) announcing their intent to develop industrial cooperation in forging parts’ manufacturing for commercial engines.

Safran Aircraft Engines’ long-term ambition is to develop a comprehensive aero engines ecosystem in India. Safran already hosts three production facilities in the country (between Hyderabad and Bangalore), which will be completed by a fourth site at Hyderabad dedicated to the LEAP MRO activities by 2025. The Helicopter Engine MRO (HE-MRO) facility being developed in Goa jointly with HAL will be the fifth Safran facility in India, to be operational by 2025.

“We are delighted to expand our collaboration with HAL, which is already part of the LEAP supply chain through our joint-venture in Bangalore (Safran HAL Aircraft Engines) dedicated to the production of aero-engines pipes,” said Jean-Paul Alary, CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines. “This industrial cooperation on key technologies is consistent with our strategy to further develop our long-term ties with the Indian aviation industry to sustain the growing domestic market. It also represents a milestone of our long-standing efforts toward reinforcing India’s sovereign capabilities in aero engine design and manufacturing. Such projects will help make Indian industry ready for further ambitious indigenous programs like AMCA engine.”

Safran Aircraft Engines, alongside other Safran companies, has a strong footprint in India. The country is the third largest operator of the LEAP engine in the world, with 75% of Indian commercial aircraft being equipped with CFM’s advanced turbofan. To date, more than 2,200 LEAP engines have been ordered by Indian airlines.