Aviation

Safran Group makes big-ticket announcements on defence production in India.

As per source In addition to a significant joint venture with state-run aerospace behemoth HAL, French defence company Safran Group on Tuesday announced the establishment of a production plant in Hyderabad to create parts and components for advanced aviation engines with an investment of Euro 36 million. It was announced that following a meeting between Safran CEO Olivier Andries and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that the joint venture in Bengaluru will manufacture helicopter engines and that the French business will also establish an MRO facility for Indian and foreign commercial aircraft.

The LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines used in aircraft by both Indian and international commercial airlines will be serviced at the MRO facility that will be built in Hyderabad with foreign direct investment of USD 150 million. The Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH), a medium-lift helicopter currently being developed by HAL, will reportedly use the helicopter engines to be built under the joint venture.

One of the top original equipment manufacturers of advanced aviation engines for combat and commercial jets is Safran. The MRO facility would initially be able to overhaul more than 250 engines annually, according to the defence ministry.

The CEO also gave Rajnath Singh a briefing on their intention to launch Safran Aircraft Engines, Safran Electrical and Power India Private Limited, both of which will be located in Hyderabad, as well as Safran-HAL Aircraft Engines, a joint venture, in Bengaluru, this week, according to a statement from the defence ministry.

The production of rigid pipes for aviation engines, particularly helicopter engines, is the focus of the joint venture between Safran and HAL. The joint venture anticipates hiring 160 new highly qualified employees announced by the ministry, and “The CEO of Safran outlined his company’s long-term goal in co-development and co-production of advanced jet engines and transfer of technology in accordance with existing policy of the government of India.

Singh was briefed by Andries about Safran’s technological capabilities outside of aeroplane engines. India’s strategic alliance with France is extremely important to India, the defence minister noted it.
He invited to Safran for additional co-development and co-production projects in India that would support the “Make in India” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives.

You may benefit from all of India’s competitive advantages, such as its lower costs and abundance of skilled labour, he continued Both nations can aid in each other’s capabilities development, according to the defence minister.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.