Safran partners with HAL to produce LEAP engines forged parts

France’s Safran Aircraft Engines has signed an agreement with Indian aerospace and defense company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the industrialization and production of rotating parts for LEAP engines.

This agreement supports the Indian government’s “Make in India” policy and follows the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Safran Aircraft Engines and HAL in October 2023 to develop industrial cooperation in LEAP engine parts manufacturing, as well as the contract signed last February by both partners to produce forged parts, according to a media release.

Safran Aircraft Engines is thus continuing to expand its footprint in India and is extending the scope of its cooperation with HAL through the production of Inconel parts.

The objective is to support the strong growth of the Indian aerospace market and ensure the ramp-up of LEAP engines powering single-aisle civil aircraft. To this end, Safran is developing a complete aerospace ecosystem based on the creation of new facilities in India and closer cooperation with its major Indian partners such as HAL. 

“We are really proud to expand this long-standing partnership with Safran and to develop our industrial expertise in forging processes for Inconel parts for the LEAP program”, said Dr. D K Sunil, Chairman and Managing Director of HAL.

“We are pleased to extend our collaboration with HAL, a key player of the Indian aerospace industry,” said Dominique Dupuy, Safran Aircraft Engines’ Purchasing VP. “This industrial cooperation is part of our roadmap to diversify our production sourcing and strengthen our industrial footprint in India, so as to support the growth of domestic air traffic with our LEAP engine and prepare for future requirements of the M88 engine powering the Rafale.”

Safran is thus boosting its capabilities and presence in India, where it already operates five production sites in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Goa. A sixth site dedicated to maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of LEAP engines will open in Hyderabad by the end of the year. In 2022, Safran and HAL also set up the Safran HAL Aircraft Engines joint venture in Bengaluru, specializing in manufacturing components for the LEAP engine as well as the M88 engine.