Summary
- Air India and IndiGo are seeking approval to source non-critical aircraft items from local suppliers in India to reduce waiting time.
- Developing the aviation MRO sector in India is one of the priorities for the country’s aviation minister, who also wants to attract aerospace companies to set up shop in India.
With Indian aviation slated for considerable fleet development in the coming years, timely upkeep and maintenance will become increasingly crucial for smooth operations. And two of the country’s biggest airlines are trying to find ways to make the process faster and easier.
Navigating the supply chain
Both Airbus and Boeing have a huge presence in India. With two big orders placed by IndiGo and Air India earlier this year, as well as several other orders by carriers, such as Akasa Air, the overall aircraft fleet of the country will swell considerably in the coming decade.
However, the recent issues with the global supply chain have once again highlighted how tricky it can be to source aircraft material on time when there are global disruptions, such as wars, a pandemic, and political sanctions.
Photo: BoeingMan777 | Shutterstock
And while airlines are required to always go to the original equipment manufacturer to source critical aircraft parts, some airlines are wondering if they can save time when it comes to non-critical components.
Looking toward local suppliers
According to a report by Mint, Air India and IndiGo are seeking approvals to source various non-critical aircraft items from India instead of waiting to get them from aircraft manufacturers. According to some airline executives, doing so can reduce the waiting time from six months to one month in some cases. The report quotes Sisira Kanta Dash, Air India’s chief technical officer, as saying,
“I had to import paper used for printers in an aircraft … Why can’t I use local paper? Even the stickers on table or toilet buffers or soap dispenser bottles… These are small things we are looking at. If it is not a critical part, it should be acceptable. In certain leases, I made it a point to write it down that non-critical parts should be accepted. We are in the process of getting approvals.”
Photo: Nicolas Economou | Shutterstock
IndiGo is also in the process of seeking necessary approvals and has said that India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has actually been quite forthcoming in giving its nod. Sourcing locally made components will also help in the case of older generation aircraft for which parts are difficult to source.
Of course, any components sourced locally must be compliant with industry standards, and the MRO sector in India will need to sit with the airline to discuss such issues before production.
MRO in India
This is another step towards developing the aviation MRO sector in India. The country’s aviation minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, is also keen on improving the MRO infrastructure in India and wants aerospace companies to set up shop here.
Photo: Martin Chavez | Shutterstock
There have been some developments lately. Air India has set up a new engineering warehouse in Delhi, an MRO in Nagpur recently serviced its first foreign aircraft, and the upcoming airport in Noida is expected to be a big MRO hub in India. Hopefully, more airlines will also use India-sourced aircraft components and contribute to overall growth.
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Source: Mint