Reported By : Junaid Akhtar
In the Noida Airport area at Jewar in Greater Noida, French aircraft company Dassault will repair and maintain the Indian Air Force’s fighter jets, Rafale and Mirage-2000.The company will set up a Centre of Excellence and a university for this. Young people will be trained there.
Students who have passed 10th and 12th will get a chance
Dr. Arunveer Singh, CEO of Yamuna Authority, said that the Centre of Excellence and University will offer courses and apprenticeships related to the aviation sector. This will help in skill development in this field.
According to the plan, aeronautical courses will start at the high school and polytechnic level. Students who have passed 10th can do a 3-year diploma course and a 1-year MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) apprenticeship.
Students who have passed 12th will be able to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Airport Maintenance, Vector, and Avionics Aircraft.
There is also a proposal to start a 6 months short term training course in Aircraft Maintenance for 10th pass students.
According to sources, more than 20,000 young people will get job opportunities here.
Plan to Develop MRO Hub at Noida Airport
There are plans to build an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) hub in the second phase of Noida Airport. Dassault, the French company, is expected to get 1,365 hectares of land for this project. Dr. Arunveer Singh, CEO of Yamuna Authority, said that Dassault first talked to the Skill Development Department. Later, the Ministry of Defence and the Uttar Pradesh government also joined the project.
Fighter Jet Repairs to Happen on 40 Acres
The CEO said that land has been approved for the company in the YEIDA region. A 40-acre MRO facility is already planned here for passenger aircraft repairs. But now, with Dassault coming in, another MRO hub will be developed specifically for fighters jets. It is expected to start within the next six months, and the company will expand its work gradually.
Dassault chooses UP over Tamil Nadu
Sources say Dassault was initially planning to invest in Tamil Nadu. However, after receiving an offer from Uttar Pradesh, the company agreed to invest there instead. In 2021, India’s MRO industry was worth $1.7 billion and could grow to $7 billion by 2030. Dassault will also get a subsidy of ₹12 crore under the FDI policy for investing in UP.
Currently Dependent on Foreign Countries
Right now, India depends on other countries for MRO services. India has 713 aircraft, and this number is expectes to rise to 1,552 by 2031. The Indian Air Force also has 36 Rafale and around 50 Mirage- 2000 jets. Sources say that maintenance costs take up about 12-15% of the total revenue. That’s why there are plans to build MRO hubs at and around the airport. Once completed, India will no longer need to rely on countries like the U.S., China, or Singapore for aircraft maintenance.
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