Safran organised its Supplier Conference in India on Wednesday in Bengaluru, bringing together 100 suppliers for a half-day event focused on procurement strategy and supply chain priorities. The company outlined its existing operations in India and highlighted the role of domestic suppliers in supporting key aerospace programmes. This is the first edition of the Safran’s “Supplier Conference India.”
Philippe Errera, Director of International Development and Institutional Relations at Safran Group highlighted the 70-year partnership with India; 18 sites across the country; a strengthened presence in 2022 with the inauguration of 3 new facilities, the announcement of the largest maintenance and repair centre for the CFM LEAP engine, and the launch of DIGIT, Safran’s global IT support centre.
During the event, Marjolaine Grange, Group Senior Vice President of Industry, Purchasing and Performance at Safran presented Safran’s purchasing strategy and the expectations from suppliers, while Christine Ricouart, SVP Systems Purchasing and Procurement – Dassault Aviation, underlined the importance of the Indian supply chain for the Rafale programme, which uses equipment including the M88 engines supplied by Safran.
Earlier this year, at Safran’s fourth annual Supplier Day in France (March 2025), the company emphasized its key priorities for 2025 with 400 of its main suppliers. Marjolaine Grange, the Executive Vice President of Industrial, Purchasing, and Performance, stressed the need for a collaborative effort to improve On-Time Delivery (OTD). She stated that the goal was to return to pre-COVID-19 levels of over 95% and that implementing top standards, like the Aero Excellence program, would be crucial for long-term performance. Christophe Guéret, the Executive Vice President of Quality and Performance, highlighted that quality would be key for 2025 performance. He introduced the “Quality for customer OTD” project and called on suppliers to implement foundational tools like – Safety Management System (SMS): to allow anyone to raise concerns; Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP): to ensure “right first time” results by assessing and addressing risks; Quick Response Quality Control (QRQC): a recommended standard for daily operations and performance management.
Safran divisions participating in Supplier Conference India included Safran Nacelles, Safran Power Unit, Safran Engineering Services, Safran Landing Systems, Safran Defense, Safran Aircraft Interiors, and Safran Aéro Composite.
Safran is ramping up production in India for critical components of its LEAP engines: It has a contract with HAL for producing forged rotating parts (Inconel), a partnership with TEAL for low-pressure turbine parts production, starting in 2026, a long-term purchase order to PTC Industries (via Aerolloy Technologies) for supply of seven cast aero-engine components (in titanium and superalloys) for LEAP-1A and -1B.
Safran is a France-based multinational group specialising in aerospace propulsion, equipment, interiors, and defence. Safran’s operations in India are supported by more than 2,600 employees. The company has over 65 years of presence in the country. Safran operates across 18 sites in India, including manufacturing facilities, R&D centers, service and maintenance operations, and representative offices.
More than 75% of aircraft operated in India are outfitted with Safran engines and equipment. Safran is a leading supplier of helicopter engines to the Indian Armed Forces, with over 1,400 engines in service, powering 100% of HAL-produced helicopters. Safran is a major partner of the Indian Air Force for its fleet of 36 Rafale fighters, supplying key components such as M88 engines, landing gear, wheels and carbon brakes, and navigation systems.
Bengaluru is a major hub for Safran’s activities : Safran Helicopter Engines, Safran HAL Aircraft Engines (a joint venture with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), Safran Engineering Services, Safran Data Systems, A new production site and R&D center for Safran Electronics & Defense.
Hyderabad is a key manufacturing and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) center: CFM Training Center, Safran Electrical & Power, Safran Aircraft Engines, Safran Aircraft Engine Services (a new MRO facility), Digit (a digital solutions entity).
Goa is home to the HE-MRO, a joint venture with HAL for helicopter engine maintenance. Mumbai has another site for Safran’s Digit solutions. Safran’s headquarters in India is located in New Delhi and also houses a site for Safran Electronics & Defense. Safran Data Systems is present in Chennai and Trivandrum.