GMR Hyderabad Aviation SEZ (GHASL), a company under the GMR Group, recently inked a Land Lease Agreement with Safran Aircraft Engines Services India, a subsidiary of Safran, the Paris-based aerospace company. The agreement grants Safran the lease of land within the SEZ area of GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park in Hyderabad. The purpose of the lease is for Safran to construct and operate an Engine MRO facility dedicated to LEAP turbofan engines. According to a press release by GMR, the facility will cover an area of 23.5 acres and will have a built-up space of approximately 36,500 sqm.

Initially, the facility will have the capacity to service 100 engines per year, with plans to gradually increase that number to around 300 engines by 2035. The establishment of this facility is expected to create numerous employment opportunities in the state of Telangana, as stated by a GMR official. Construction of the facility is scheduled to commence in September 2023, and it is projected to be completed and handed over by December 2024. Upon its completion, the Safran MRO facility in Hyderabad will become the largest maintenance, repair, and overhaul centre in the Safran Aircraft Engines network. Operations are set to begin in 2025, employing approximately 1,000 workers at its peak operation capacity.

Aman Kapoor, CEO of GMR Airport Land Development, expressed enthusiasm about the selection of GMR Industrial Park as the location for Safran's large-scale Engine MRO. Nicolas Potier, Vice-President of Support and Services at Safran Aircraft Engines, extended congratulations to GMR for being chosen and highlighted the significance of this MRO project as a major investment in Safran's future in India. Potier emphasised that the new facility would increase capacity to support airline operations and contribute to the growth of the aeronautical ecosystem around Hyderabad International Airport.

In addition to the new MRO facility, Safran already operates two industrial facilities for Cable Harnessing and Aircraft Engine Component manufacturing within the SEZ area of GMR Aerospace & Industrial Park. Furthermore, CFM, a joint venture between Safran and GE, operates an Engine Maintenance training facility at the park.