IndiGo, BIAL sign MoU to build world-class MRO facility at Bengaluru Airport

Bengaluru, May 30 (PTI) The Karnataka government on Friday announced that a world-class Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility by IndiGo will come up at Kempegowda International Airport here.

In this regard, the airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) as part of its sustained commitment to enhancing its operational capabilities at the airport, officials said.

Under the agreement, BIAL will allocate around 31 acres of land to IndiGo for development of the MRO facility, representing a significant capital investment exceeding Rs 1,100 crore, including infrastructure, plant, and machinery, they said.

Welcoming the move, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, M B Patil, in a statement said that Bengaluru is now poised to become the MRO hub of Asia. This milestone initiative highlights Karnataka's emergence as a regional leader in aviation infrastructure and reaffirms the state's commitment to enabling industrial growth and high-skilled job creation.

"The Government of Karnataka is deeply committed to advancing aerospace and aviation manufacturing in the state. IndiGo's investment in a state-of-the-art MRO facility further strengthens our vision to make Karnataka the MRO Capital of Asia. This initiative will not only generate high-quality employment opportunities but also catalyze the development of a globally competitive aviation ecosystem in Bengaluru," he said.

According to him, this project is expected to generate over 750 direct high-skill jobs across engineering, logistics, warehousing, and support services. It will also enhance Kempegowda International Airport's capacity to handle an estimated 1,300 aircraft by FY31, scaling to approximately 2,100 aircraft by FY37/38.

Importantly, the facility will attract leading global OEMs and tier-1 suppliers, creating a multiplier effect that boosts ancillary industries, vendor ecosystems, and skill development across the region, he said.

In a statement, BIAL said that the state-of-the-art facility will be equipped to handle both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, further strengthening IndiGo's maintenance capabilities and operational presence at the Bengaluru Airport.

"Developing broad IndiGo MRO capabilities marks as significant and very strategic step for IndiGo. Partnering with BIAL underlines our shared commitment to drive long-term growth of the aviation ecosystem in Bengaluru and cement its status as, amongst the best and world-class international hubs in India.... We see this collaboration as a pivotal step towards building a significant global presence for IndiGo, as well as for India," Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo, said in the statement.

According to BIAL, with more than 400 aircraft in its fleet, a dedicated MRO facility will give a significant advantage in terms of aircraft availability, greater cost efficiencies and quicker turnaround benefiting the airline and its customers.

"Further the development of the MRO facility will help strengthen the aerospace and defence ecosystem in Karnataka. IndiGo already has one MRO facility each in Delhi and Bengaluru," it added. PTI AMP KH