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* Advanced engine technology and operational reliability help power connectivity across India's growing aviation ecosystem
GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) today announced plans to nearly double supplier spend in-country from 2025 to 2030 to help meet India’s growing demand for flight and leadership in the aviation industry. The announcement coincided with the release of a new report compiled by Ernst & Young (EY), Powering Progress: GE Aerospace's Economic Impact in India, the first comprehensive assessment of the impact GE Aerospace's four decades in India have had across commercial aviation, defense, manufacturing, and engineering. The report was released at 'India Taking Flight – Aviation, Innovation and the Road to Viksit Bharat 2047', a gathering of industry leaders hosted by GE Aerospace.
India's domestic commercial airlines generated approximately USD $19 billion in revenue in FY26, reflecting the strength of the country's rapidly expanding aviation sector. Through advanced engine technology and high levels of reliability and operational performance, GE Aerospace helps enable the connectivity and efficiency that support an aviation ecosystem sustaining an estimated 370,000 direct jobs.
According to the report, commercial engines made by GE Aerospace and its partners* power the majority of commercial airline operations in India with a fleet of more than 1,400 engines, as of December 2025. Those engines have helped Indian carriers post the world's highest passenger load factor at 88.2% and aircraft utilization rates of 12 to 14 hours per day, well above global figures.
"India’s commercial aviation growth is one of the fastest in the world, and today’s report shows that our commitment here goes far beyond selling engines," said Vikram Rai, CEO, South Asia, GE Aerospace. "It's in the components machined in Pune, the innovation in Bengaluru, and our trusted customers, who are building the next generation of India's aerospace industry. As India works towards its Viksit Bharat ambitions, doubling our spend to grow the supply chain ecosystem will help meet the growing demand."
Positioned for a decade of aviation growth
Government of India estimates project annual domestic passenger traffic will reach 1.1 billion by 2040, up from 340 million in FY26, as the number of airports grows from 163 to more than 350 by 2047.
To meet the demand, India and South Asia will need 3,300 additional aircraft, or 6,600 additional engines, by 2044. In July 2026, IndiGo announced an MoU with CFM International for an order of 1,000+ LEAP-1A engines to power 510 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, the largest single order ever placed for LEAP engines and a record for CFM International, which also included support in establishing IndiGo’s upcoming engine MRO facility. GE Aerospace and its partner engines are expected to power most of the approximate 1,500 new aircraft already on order with Indian carriers, an opportunity the report values at more than USD $5.5 billion for India's maintenance, repair, and overhaul industry.
A manufacturing base built through sustained investment
GE Aerospace’s flagship facility in Pune was established with an initial investment of USD $200 million. Since 2024, the company has invested nearly USD $55 million to expand automation, enhance precision-manufacturing capabilities and advance workforce development. These investments have strengthened GE Aerospace’s manufacturing capabilities in India, supported by a broader supplier network that includes 17 major domestic partners—including small and medium-sized enterprises - and the Pune facility. GE Aerospace spent roughly USD $200 million on this in-country supply chain in 2025, an investment it plans to double by 2030 to meet increased demand.
Since 2015, roughly 5,000 production associates have graduated from the Pune facility's apprenticeship program, which enrolls 400 to 500 new apprentices each year. In Bengaluru, engineering talent development programs and academic research partnerships, including a flagship joint innovation program with IIT Madras that produced a locally designed and built Micro Turbomachine, continue to strengthen India's aerospace engineering base.
A defense partnership central to self-reliance goals
GE Aerospace's engines are also central to India's defense self-reliance goals. Since 1986, the company has partnered with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on LM2500 naval engines and F404-IN20 engines powering India's Tejas Mk1 light combat aircraft, a platform with more than 4,000 engines deployed across 16 countries.
A 2023 memorandum of understanding covers the potential domestic manufacture of F414 engines for the Tejas Mk2 program, pending final agreements and approvals. GE Aerospace has also signed a five-year Performance Based Logistics contract with the Indian Air Force for Apache helicopter engines, and a separate agreement to establish an in-country depot facility for F404-IN20 engines.
Engineering and innovation anchored in Bengaluru
GE Aerospace’s Bengaluru Technology Centre, established in 2000 with an investment of USD $200 million, was among the first research and engineering centres of its kind outside the United States. Since then, it has secured more than 1,000 aviation patents and contributed to the design, development and certification of the GE9X—the world’s most powerful jet engine. Its engineers hold key design responsibilities for the GE90, GP7200, GEnx and GE9X engines, while also playing a pivotal role in the CFM RISE** program, which aims to improve fuel efficiency by 20% while meeting customer expectations for durability. The centre’s Digital Technology team supports GE Aerospace’s global supply chain, MRO and sales operations through the application of artificial intelligence.
Together, these investments reflect four decades of GE Aerospace's commitment to building India's aerospace capability, manufacturing, engineering, and defense self-reliance, in step with the country's own aviation ambitions.
Download the complete report here.
* CFM International, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines
** Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) is a technology demonstration program of CFM International, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines. It is not a product offered for commercial sale.
About GE Aerospace in India
GE Aerospace has been a partner to India's aviation industry for over 40 years, with more than 1,400 GE Aerospace and partner engines in service nationwide, powering major Indian airlines. GE Aerospace’s defense engines and systems also power the Indian Air Force’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1 and helicopters, and the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier battleships and frigates. The Pune manufacturing facility and 17 Indian suppliers play an important role in the company’s global supply chain. Researchers and engineers at the company’s 25-year-old Technology Centre in Bengaluru are building the latest aviation technologies. Learn more about GE Aerospace in India at geaerospace.com/india
About GE Aerospace
GE Aerospace is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 50,000 commercial and 30,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of approximately 57,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight, lifting people up, and bringing them home safely. Learn more at www.geaerospace.com.
