SOURCE: AFI
Vikram Rai, CEO of GE Aerospace (South Asia), recently outlined the company’s ambitious plans for India, signaling its growing commitment to the country. In a conversation with Indian media, Rai revealed that GE Aerospace has increased its exports from India “20 times” between 2018 and 2022, a significant leap demonstrating the country’s rising importance as a key player in the global aerospace supply chain.
GE Aerospace’s expansion in India is reflected in its robust presence in the country’s aviation sector. The company currently has over 1,300 engines operational in India, powering aircraft such as Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Boeing 777s, and Airbus A320neo family planes for major airlines like Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara. In addition to this existing fleet, GE Aerospace, along with its joint venture CFM International (a partnership with French aerospace giant Safran), has 2,000 more engines on order to be delivered over the next eight to nine years. This translates to a pace of roughly one aircraft equipped with GE Aerospace engines being delivered every week, highlighting the scale of the company’s operations in India.
India’s aviation market is rapidly expanding, with airlines placing massive aircraft orders to meet the increasing demand for air travel. According to Rai, Indian carriers currently have between 1,100 and 1,200 planes on order, further underlining the country’s strategic importance in the global aerospace industry.
One of GE Aerospace’s most significant undertakings is the development of next-generation open fan architecture engines. These engines, currently being developed at the John F Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC) in Bengaluru, are expected to revolutionize fuel efficiency in aviation. With the goal of making flying 20% more fuel-efficient by the middle of the next decade, these engines promise to significantly reduce fuel costs and lower carbon emissions, addressing two of the most pressing challenges in the aviation industry today.
The John F Welch Technology Centre, GE’s largest research and development facility outside the U.S., has played a central role in this innovative effort. The open fan architecture is a novel engine design that aims to deliver enhanced performance by utilizing advanced materials and innovative engineering techniques. Once commercialized, these engines could serve as a major leap forward in sustainable aviation, an area where GE Aerospace is betting big on India’s expertise and capacity.
As GE Aerospace continues to expand its engine footprint in India, the possibility of establishing a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in the country is becoming increasingly viable. Currently, India lacks a major engine MRO facility that can handle the advanced demands of GE’s engines, but this could change in the near future. According to Rai, once GE reaches a certain “threshold” of engines operating in the country, the company will have a strong case for setting up a dedicated MRO facility in India.
Such a facility would be a significant boost for India’s aviation sector, reducing the need for airlines to send engines abroad for maintenance and repair, which often adds to downtime and operational costs. An Indian-based MRO facility would not only benefit local airlines but also cement the country’s position as a global hub for aerospace services. “We continue to evaluate an engine MRO here,” Rai said, hinting that this development could be on the horizon as GE’s engine fleet in India grows.
India’s importance in GE Aerospace’s global strategy is clear. The country not only serves as a critical market for GE’s advanced engines but also as a hub for innovation and development. With the John F Welch Technology Centre at the heart of groundbreaking advancements like the open fan architecture engine, India is poised to play a pivotal role in the future of aviation technology.
Furthermore, India’s burgeoning aviation sector, which is expected to see exponential growth in the coming years, makes it a key market for both GE Aerospace and its joint venture CFM. The company’s plans to deliver 2,000 engines over the next eight to nine years reflect its confidence in India’s aviation future, where demand for fuel-efficient and reliable aircraft will continue to rise.