Safran has strengthened its Hyderabad-based M88 engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) project by recruiting its first pioneer inspectors, including experienced personnel from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. The move represents a major milestone in establishing India’s first M88 engine support facility and the first such centre outside France.

The newly inducted specialists will help develop inspection, quality assurance and technical procedures at the facility. Their operational experience is expected to play a vital role in building the centre’s maintenance and certification capabilities.

Safran is accelerating preparations to commission the overseas M88 MRO centre, which will primarily support India’s growing Rafale fleet while also providing services to international operators of the engine.

Announced in 2025, the Hyderabad facility is being developed on a 5,000-square-metre site with an investment exceeding €40 million. Once fully operational, it is expected to handle more than 600 engine modules annually, making it a significant regional support hub for the M88 engine.

The M88 powers the Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft currently operated by the Indian Air Force and selected by the Indian Navy for its carrier-borne fighter requirements. The local MRO capability is expected to reduce dependence on overseas maintenance infrastructure while improving fleet availability and turnaround times.

The inspection teams will be responsible for examining engine modules and components, recording observations, verifying conformity and traceability, and conducting configuration checks to ensure compliance with manufacturer standards.

Safran's recruitment drive marks an important phase in staffing the facility, with inspectors forming the foundation of the quality-control framework required for military aero-engine maintenance operations.

The Hyderabad M88 centre forms part of Safran’s broader expansion strategy in India’s aerospace and defence sector. The company already operates a major LEAP commercial-engine MRO centre in Hyderabad and has expanded industrial cooperation in India through programmes such as the local production of HAMMER precision-guided air-to-surface weapons in partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited.

Safran has also highlighted India’s growing importance within its global aerospace strategy, with Hyderabad emerging as a key location for both civil and military engine support activities.

The arrival of Indian Navy and IAF specialists therefore represents more than a staffing milestone. It signals the gradual emergence of India as an important global maintenance hub for the Rafale's M88 engine and supports the country's wider objective of strengthening indigenous aerospace sustainment capabilities.

Agencies