INDIA'S DEFENCE MRO SECTOR — FLYING STRONG

From building joint ventures with global OEMs to developing indigenous component manufacturing, India is reclaiming its capability to maintain, upgrade, and extend the life of its defence assets on Indian soil, with Indian hands, and for Indian missions

- By SWAATI KETKAR

AS INDIA CELEBRATES 78 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE, A QUIET revolution is reshaping the nation's military aviation capability, not in the skies, but on the ground. With a vision rooted in Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), India's defence Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) sector is undergoing unprecedented transformation, ensuring that our armed forces no longer have to look abroad to keep their aircraft flying.

India's has a huge defence aviation fleet approximately around 1,700 aircraft and is one of the largest in the world. A part of this fleet, legacy aircraft like MiG-21, IL-76, and Mi-17 are fast becoming obsolete. Taking care of this fleet is of critical importance in terms of safety and security. Eyeing this market, the Adani Aerospace & Defence forecasted India's defence MRO market to reach $3bn by 2031 – A $3bn worth of opportunity!

Here's where arises the need of self-reliance or atmanirbhata, as every nut tightened and every engine overhauled domestically strengthens India's ability to protect its skies without foreign dependencies or logistical bottlenecks.

INDIA'S COME A LONG WAY!

In the latest, Rolls-Royce is exploring the establishment of a dedicated MRO facility in India for its AE2100 engines. These engines power the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fleet of C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft that is a critical asset for strategic airlift and rapid deployment operations.

This initiative is in line with the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Vision 2035 Defence Industrial Roadmap, both of which seek to deepen bilateral cooperation in aerospace, technology, and innovation.