Maintenance, repair and overhaul are the three words that keep every aircraft airworthy, yet the concept remains widely misunderstood. As India’s skies grow busier and technology reshapes the sector, one aviation veteran argues it is time to rethink MRO’s scope, its economics and its untapped potential beyond the aircraft itself.
MRO isn’t a cost centre, it’s a missed goldmine
Few terms are used as often in aviation and understood as little, as MRO. The acronym stands for maintenance, repair and overhaul, three activities that sound self-explanatory yet carry distinct technical meanings and separate revenue implications once examined closely.
The Three Pillars Explained
Maintenance keeps an aircraft in prime condition, ensuring functional readiness even when no snag exists. Repair becomes necessary when the thousands of moving parts and integrated software within an aircraft malfunction, whether through unresponsive instrument panels, engine failure or physical damage such as broken windows. Overhaul follows extended flight operations, when wear and tear demands that the aircraft be dismantled piece by piece, each component inspected before reassembly. Together, these three functions safeguard airworthiness against international standards.
A Market on the Rise
Global MRO expenditure stood at US $191 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach upto US $255 billion by 2028. India’s figure grew from US $800 million in 2011 to US $1.5 billion. This growth is driven by rising demand, digitisation and increasingly sophisticated MRO software, a segment valued at US $4.08 billion in 2017 and expected to touch US $4.93 billion by the end of 2022.
Technology Reshapes the Workshop
Artificial intelligence has transformed MRO practice in the Industry 4.0 era, most notably through condition-based maintenance enabled by sensors. Rolls-Royce has introduced robots to accelerate routine checks, while augmented reality now enables remote expert guidance onsite, addressing technician shortages without physical travel.
India’s Dependence on Overseas OEMs
India’s aircraft repair needs largely route through original equipment manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus abroad. The European Aviation Safety Agency has approved 145 MRO centres worldwide for minor maintenance, while India counts around eight major players, including Air India Engineering Services, Air Works India and GMR Aero Technique. Taxation structures, cumbersome import procedures and inadequate infrastructure continue to constrain domestic growth.
Skies Set to Get Busier
Despite the pandemic’s disruption, India’s aviation sector is rebounding. The country ranks third globally in domestic passenger traffic and seventh internationally, with ambitions to lead domestically and rank among the top four internationally by 2027. Passenger numbers could double within a decade, reaching 400 million flyers, while the fleet, which stood at 400 aircraft in 2013-14 and around 700 today, is expected to exceed 1,200 within five years, aided by Air India’s takeover by Tata Sons and the anticipated merger of Vistara and Air Asia with Air India. Airport infrastructure is expanding too, from 74 airports in 2013-14 to a projected 220 by 2026. Civil aviation is growing at 10.3 percent compared with 5.6 percent for Indian Railways’ premium coach segment, and regional airports are now growing at nearly 31 percent, far outpacing the metro growth rate of around 8.9 percent.
Widening the Definition of MRO
Aircraft are not the only vehicles operating at airports. Buses, cars, forklifts, tractors and fire vehicles all require their own maintenance, currently outsourced to city workshops at considerable cost in fuel, time and energy. Dedicated on-site MRO workshops for these vehicles could generate substantial revenue for airport operators while benefiting airlines, agencies and the travelling public alike.
