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HAL and Safran Sign Strategic MoU at Goa HE-MRO Groundbreaking

HAL and Safran’s Goa HE-MRO venture was planned to service TM333 and Shakti engines. Opening dates shifted from 2023 to an April 2026 target, but operation is not confirmed by the available sources.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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HAL and Safran signed a memorandum of understanding on 14 March 2022 at the groundbreaking ceremony for Helicopter Engines MRO Pvt Limited (HE-MRO), their joint venture developing a helicopter-engine maintenance facility at Sattari, Goa. The planned shop was to service Safran TM333 and HAL Shakti engines fitted to HAL-built helicopters. The opening dates and capacity figures announced since then were projections; the available sources do not confirm that the facility is operating as of 8 October 2026.

What the HAL–Safran MoU covered

The MoU was signed at the 14 March 2022 groundbreaking ceremony by Florent Chauvancy, Safran Helicopter Engines’ executive vice-president for OEM Sales, and Amitabh Bhatt, CEO of HAL’s Bangalore Complex. It extended cooperation and set out an intention to explore opportunities for helicopter engines in both civil and military markets. It did not itself establish a new engine programme or confirm a production commitment.

The facility is associated with HE-MRO, the joint venture formed by HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines. The groundbreaking marked the start of development of the site, not proof that the MRO operation had begun.

Where the facility is and what it was planned to do

The facility is at Sattari in Goa, about 40 km from Panaji. The 2022 announcement described a 1,000-square-metre training and office building and a 3,800-square-metre shop. Its stated purpose was maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of Safran TM333 and HAL Shakti engines installed on HAL-built helicopters, supporting the operational readiness of the Indian Armed Forces.

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Which helicopter engines are involved

TM333

The TM333 was one of the two engine types named in the planned HE-MRO service scope. Safran reported in 2022 that 250 TM333 engines were with India’s Armed Forces; this is Safran’s dated figure, not a verified current fleet count.

Shakti

Safran described Shakti as the Indian variant of the Ardiden 1H1, co-developed with HAL. In its 2022 announcement, Safran said the engine was installed on HAL’s Dhruv and Rudra helicopters and had been selected for the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). Safran reported more than 500 Shakti engines with India’s Armed Forces at that time; the figure should not be read as a current count.

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Other engines in the wider HAL–Safran context

Safran said the Ardiden 1U powers the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and that DGCA India certified the engine on 26 July 2021. The 2022 HE-MRO announcement named TM333 and Shakti as the facility’s intended service scope; it did not say the Ardiden 1U would be maintained there.

Safran’s 2022 release put the total number of Safran-designed helicopter engines with India’s Armed Forces at over 1,000. That dated company figure included 250 TM333 and more than 500 Shakti engines; it is not a current fleet inventory.

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How the announced timeline changed

Date and source What was reported Status of the information
14 March 2022, Safran announcement Facility projected to become operational by the end of 2023; initial capacity of 50 engines a year, with a later full-capacity goal of 150 a year. Targets and planned capacity, not confirmation of opening or achieved throughput. Safran announcement.
June 2023, HAL FY2023–24 annual report Records transfer of leasehold rights for a 7.41-acre industrial plot to HE-MRO and sale of the building, plant, machinery and other assets for ₹1,029 lakh. Documented asset and leasehold transfers; these do not establish that the facility was operational. HAL FY2023–24 annual report.
October 2023, Safran update Facility still under development; operation forecast for 2025. A revised forecast, not an opening confirmation. Safran update.
24 January 2025, Times of India Facility expected to become operational by April 2026, citing an assurance from the defence minister and a senior government officer. A reported future expectation, not evidence that the target was met. Times of India report.

The later announcements moved the projected opening beyond the original end-of-2023 target. As of 8 October 2026, the available sources do not establish whether HE-MRO opened, nor do they verify current staffing, throughput or operating capacity. The 50- and 150-engine annual figures therefore remain announced plans rather than confirmed performance.

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Why the project matters to military helicopter support

A local MRO operation for the specified engines was presented as a way to support HAL-built helicopter fleets and improve operational readiness. Safran’s 2022 release said India’s Armed Forces had over 1,000 Safran-designed helicopter engines, including the reported TM333 and Shakti counts above. That scale helps explain the stated support rationale, but the release does not quantify any resulting reduction in maintenance time, cost or aircraft downtime.

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The partnership also had a forward-looking element: the MoU called for exploring future helicopter-engine opportunities in civil and military markets. Safran’s then-CEO Franck Saudo said the joint venture would support HAL helicopter legacy programmes and that the MoU opened perspectives for strengthening the partnership on future engine technologies and platforms. These statements describe intent, not a confirmed new engine contract.

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