MRO in India – Poised to take off

The Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector, which ensures the availability and airworthiness of aircrafts, is of critical importance to global aerospace & defense industry. Industry reports identify India as the seventh-largest civil aviation market in the world. It is set to become the world’s third largest by 2026, representing a significant expansion scope for MRO facilities in India. About 90 percent MRO requirements in India are currently met through imports. India's indigenous MRO sector is in a nascent stage but carries a significant growth potential. The sector's growth will mainly be fueled by a growing aviation industry (expected to generate nearly 90,000 jobs and save about US$ 2 billion in foreign exchange). Dependence on foreign MROs is likely to continue until the domestic MRO industry catches up with its foreign counterparts in terms of size and certified breadth of services.

The Indian MRO industry size is expected to increase from US$ 1.7 billion in 2021 to US$ 4.0 billion by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9 percent against the expected global CAGR of 5.6 percent. With more than 1,000 aircraft currently on order, the country is likely to become the third-largest buyer of commercial passenger planes in the world, only after the US and China. This translates into demand for 200–300 major maintenance checks annually. Replacing ageing aircraft in the fleets of several airlines also creates scope for MRO to meet redelivery contracts. India is also poised to become a large defence aircraft market, propelling demand for military MRO capabilities as well.