The Air India Group on Wednesday (September 4) officially launched the construction of a major Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru. The new MRO, set to be built on a 35-acre site at Bangalore International Airport, will become a central hub for aircraft maintenance for Air India group airlines as the airline modernizes its fleet and broadens its global reach.
The groundbreaking ceremony was graced by Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director of the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Karnataka; Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL); Chin Yau Seng, CEO of SIA Engineering Company; and other senior leaders from Air India.
All about the new MRO facility
The new MRO facility is expected to generate over 1,200 new jobs for skilled aviation engineers and support more than 200 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Karnataka through an improved supply chain, according to an Air India press release.
This development will contribute to a robust MRO ecosystem in the state and support Air India’s ambition to make Bengaluru a key hub with enhanced global connectivity.
The MRO will feature a state-of-the-art hangar capable of accommodating both wide-body and narrow-body aircraft for base maintenance under one roof. Future expansions will include additional hangars and a dedicated paint hangar.
New benchmark in aviation maintenance
With advanced aircraft maintenance technologies such as overhead teleplatforms, cranes, universal docking systems, and the country’s largest vertical lift hangar doors, the MRO will set a new benchmark in aviation maintenance.
The Bengaluru facility, along with the expansion of Air India’s line maintenance facilities across its network and the recently updated wide-body hangar in Mumbai, will enhance Air India’s self-reliance in fleet maintenance starting in 2025.
Additionally, Air India plans to construct a new wide-body hangar in Delhi for line maintenance, fostering a comprehensive maintenance ecosystem at major airports.
To ensure a steady supply of trained and type-rated personnel, Air India is securing CAR-147 approval for its training academy and plans to open a Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) in Bengaluru in 2025.