As part of his official visit to Singapore, AP Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, held a key meeting with Mr. Anand Stanley, President of Airbus Asia Pacific, to discuss strategic opportunities in the aviation sector.
During the meeting, Minister Lokesh emphasized the need for a dedicated Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hub in India and proposed Andhra Pradesh as the ideal location for such a facility. He pointed out that India has a high aircraft density, with growing demand from neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the wider Southeast Asian market, making it a strong captive market for MRO services.
Highlighting the growth trajectory of Airbus in India, he noted that over 850 Airbus aircraft are currently operational in the country, and India is projected to require approximately 1,750 new aircraft over the next two decades. Airbus currently holds a 65–70% market share in India’s commercial aviation sector, primarily dominated by the narrow-body A320 family.
Minister Lokesh underscored Andhra Pradesh’s strategic potential to become South Asia’s leading MRO hub, offering efficient service to both Indian and regional carriers. He assured that the state is ready to build a comprehensive, world-class MRO ecosystem, aligning with Singapore’s high operational and maintenance standards.
“Our proposed MRO hub will significantly reduce ferry times and operational costs for Indian airlines and enhance aircraft availability. It also opens up opportunities for servicing aircraft from neighbouring nations, positioning Andhra Pradesh as a key regional player,” said Minister Lokesh.
He extended a formal invitation to Mr. Anand Stanley to visit Andhra Pradesh and explore the infrastructure and policy support available to aviation industry leaders.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s team visited the Singapore Sports School. His team Olympic champion Pullela Gopichand, ministers, and AP officials. CM Chandrababu spoke to the Principal of the Singapore Sports School. The CM wanted sports schools to produce the best athletes, not just for entertainment and tourism.
The Sports School Principal told the CM that Singapore is trying to become a world-class sports hub. The school principal explained to the CM that they are running a sports school with high standards.. high-performance systems. It is clear that rules have been made to give admission to students interested in sports in the sports school.
