Ryan Weir, Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing for India, Boeing Commercial Airplanes

India’s economy has shown remarkable growth in the last three decades, contributing 90 per cent of South Asia’s economic output and ranking among the top growth economies globally pre-pandemic. As the world’s third-largest civil aviation market, India’s fleet is set to nearly quadruple in size by 2041, compared to 2019. The country is also projected to receive over 90 per cent of South Asia’s airplane deliveries, requiring about 2,400 new aircraft, while its cargo market is set to expand significantly, with the fleet growing from 15 to 80 airplanes by 2042, driving a $135 billion demand for commercial services. Boeing’s 2023 Pilot and Technician Outlook forecasts demand in South Asia for 37,000 pilots and 38,000 maintenance technicians over the next 20 years to meet industry needs, driven primarily from growing demand in India.

To keep up with this growth, India needs top-notch MRO services, as a large chunk of MRO spending currently goes abroad. India benefits from a skilled workforce, including experienced ex-servicemen, and strong industry capabilities, allowing it to offer cost-effective solutions and meet high customer standards.

HOW BOEING IS HELPING KEEP MRO SPENDING IN INDIA

Boeing India recognises the immense potential for MRO services in the aviation industry, both in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and worldwide. While there is a gap in component and engine maintenance in India’s MRO industry, Boeing is committed to addressing this need and supporting its customers in India. To expedite MRO growth, Boeing is taking several measures.

• For base maintenance, Boeing plans to leverage defence MRO and complex civil aircraft modification work to develop infrastructure and capabilities applicable to civil MRO as well. Aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Boeing do not actually control much of the repair intellectual property (IP) to perform MRO on components and engines — rather that lies with the Tier 1 suppliers themselves.
• Boeing is fostering collaboration between component and engine OEMs and Indian MROs. Boeing supplier Spirit announced a collaboration with GMR Group and Safran/CFM, a Boeing engine supplier, to establish a full MRO facility in Hyderabad by 2025.
• For component and engine maintenance, Boeing aims for its suppliers to collaborate with local Indian MROs when component OEMs reach capacity at their foreign facilities.
• Furthermore, Boeing is introducing foreign MROs that already hold exclusive intellectual property rights to component repair – to Indian MROs, in the interest of furthering partnerships to execute such MRO in India. This collaboration will facilitate the transfer of knowledge and enhance the overall MRO capabilities in India.
• Boeing’s engine partners have made progress toward developing engine MRO capabilities as well, with facilities coming up in the next couple of years.

MAJOR MRO PROJECT: BOEING INDIA REPAIR DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINMENT (BIRDS)

Boeing recently spearheaded a large MRO initiative that is already bearing fruit. In 2021, Boeing launched BIRDS, an in-country network and alliance of suppliers that envisions a competitive MRO ecosystem for engineering, maintenance, skilling, repair and sustainment services of defence and commercial aircraft.

This network aims to drive high industry benchmarks in India for maintenance and repair, platform availability, customer satisfaction, and to enhance quicker turnaround time. An important aspect of the hub is training programs to increase skilled manpower by developing sub-tier suppliers and medium, small, and micro enterprises (MSMEs) to build high-quality MRO capabilities in India. As part of the BIRDS hub:

• Boeing and Air Works collaborated to successfully complete Phase 32 maintenance checks on eight P-8I aircraft operated by the Indian Navy (IN), showcasing a level of maturity and scale comparable to established global MRO hubs.
• Horizon Aerospace was awarded a Boeing contract for the MRO of key Boeing defence platforms in India, the P-8I operated by the IN, and the VIP 737 transport fleet operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF). It will enable value-creation for Indian defence customers locally through faster turnaround, exceptional operational capability and readiness on Boeing aircraft.
• AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) entered into a strategic agreement with Boeing for the MRO of Boeing 777 Air India One (IHoS) aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force and is also exploring collaboration in repair and overhaul of landing gear and other commercial common Next-Generation 737 equipment fitted on the Indian Navy’s P-8I fleet.

Additionally, Boeing built an MRO facility in Nagpur, which the company handed over to Air India in 2015.

BOEING AND THE FUTURE OF MRO IN INDIA

Boeing has taken a leadership role in partnering with customers and local industry to set up MRO facilities in the region, while also providing engineering and parts services to directly support regional commercial airline customers. Today, Boeing has the highest number of MRO partners in India, working in both defence and civil aviation. Additionally:

• Boeing is actively working to ensure maintenance training and certification for Indian MROs, partnering with regulators to enhance their capabilities and expertise.
• Boeing is proud to be developing first-in-India MRO capabilities, collaborating with Air Works on Boeing 737 derivative aircraft and GMR Group on airplane cargo conversions.
• To support MRO operations in India, Boeing is investing $24 million in an India Distribution Centre to ensure timely availability of critical components for efficient MRO services.
• Boeing has invested in world-class MRO hangar infrastructure. For example, the C-17 MRO facility at Hindan Air Base is built to meet international standards. This infrastructure will not only support defence MRO but also has the potential for civil MRO operations in the future.
• In a further effort to enhance MRO capabilities, Boeing is inviting leading foreign MROs to India to evaluate Indian MROs for component repair and to explore potential partnerships. This exchange of expertise and knowledge should contribute to the growth and development of the MRO sector in India.

These initiatives collectively reflect Boeing’s commitment to supporting the MRO industry in India and fostering partnerships to strengthen the overall aviation ecosystem in the country.