French connection: Dassault seeks land near NIA for aviation edu hub

Noida: French aerospace major Dassault Aviation is in talks with YEIDA to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility and has sought land to establish a centre of excellence near the Noida International Airport in Jewar.
YEIDA CEO Arun Vir Singh said on Tuesday that talks are being held for civil and military MRO facilities, but they are in early stages.
Other than the MRO facility, Dassault has submitted a proposal for a centre of excellence, which will offer courses related to aviation and apprenticeships. The aircraft manufacturer initially reached out to the central govt, which subsequently got the UP govt and Yamuna Expressway authority (YEIDA) involved. The authority is communicating with the firm to assess its land requirements. Singh, who is also the CEO of Noida International Airport Ltd (NIAL), said that the French firm can be allotted land under 1,365-hectare area earmarked for an MRO and aviation hub, which is part of the second phase of development of the airport.
"Dassault wants to open a skill development centre in UP in collaboration with Union ministries for skill development and defence. Their plan is to offer an aeronautical syllabus at the high school and polytechnic levels. They want to set up a university exclusively for MRO," Singh said.
The proposal lists a three-year diploma course, including an apprenticeship at the MRO facility, for Class 10 pass outs. Candidates can also opt for a shorter six-month course in aircraft maintenance. For students who clear Class 12, the firm has proposed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) course in aircraft maintenance and vector and avionics systems.
According to industry estimates, the MRO sector in India was valued at $1.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow to $7 billion by 2030. "The demand for MRO services in India is expected to grow faster than the global average, driven by the increasing fleet size and passenger traffic. There are currently about 700 civilian aircraft in operation in the country, and this is expected to rise to over 1,100 by 2030," Singh said.
Currently, major airports in India have limited or no provision for MRO hangars within or near their premises. A report by NIAL had said that Indian MROs were competent in performing airframe maintenance, but they still depend on overseas facilities for engine and component maintenance.