Air India has chosen SIA Engineering (SIAEC) to collaborate in establishing its base maintenance facilities in Bangalore, marking a strategic alliance between the two entities. This partnership entails SIAEC's involvement in the planning, construction, and development phases, followed by the operationalization of the facility. Air India anticipates that the base maintenance facility, slated for completion in 2026, will comprise hangars for widebody and narrowbody aircraft, along with complementary repair shops.

This decision comes in the wake of the Indian government's divestment of Air India in 2022, with only the airline business being privatized. The former MRO unit, Air India Engineering Services (AIESL), previously responsible for conducting base maintenance for the national carrier, continued to be under government ownership. However, reports suggest that Delhi is exploring avenues to divest its stake in AIESL in a similar manner.

Says Air India CEO Campbell Wilson of the latest partnership, “The collaboration with SIA Engineering Company will not only help Air India become more self-reliant for the maintenance of its own fleet, but it also reiterates our commitment to strengthen India’s aviation infrastructure by boosting the growth of the country’s MRO industry”.

The announcement also comes as SIAEC looks to grow its presence in overseas markets. Chin Yau Seng, SIAEC’s CEO, says, “This appointment marks another significant milestone in the development of the partnership between Air India and SIAEC. Going forward, we hope to have even more opportunities to collaborate with Air India in the MRO space in India”.