Safran partners with HAL and TEAL to expand LEAP production

Contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics and Titan Engineering and Automation have advanced Safran's strategy to boost LEAP engine manufacturing.

At the Aero India trade show in Bengaluru, Safran Aircraft Engines signed agreements with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Titan Engineering and Automation Limited (TEAL) to begin producing key components for LEAP engines. The deals support India’s “Make in India” policy and Safran’s plan to develop a broader aerospace manufacturing network in the country.

Safran’s contract with HAL builds on a long-standing relationship, including their joint venture in Bengaluru and previous work on the Shakti helicopter engine. HAL chairman and managing director Dr D K Sunil says: “We are delighted to take this collaboration to the next level and to support their LEAP engine production with critical Nickel Ring forgings.”

The partnership with TEAL is its first with Safran and will focus on manufacturing low-pressure turbine components. TEAL CEO Sridhar Neelakantan says: “This partnership reflects our expertise in the production of complex parts and strengthens our position as a key player in the aerospace supply chain.” The first parts will be produced in 2026. Safran purchasing VP Dominique Dupuy adds: “We are perfectly in line with the objectives set out in our 2023 agreement for the production of forged parts.”

India is CFM’s third-largest market, with 75% of its commercial fleet powered by CFM engines. More than 370 of the 500 aircraft operated by seven Indian airlines use LEAP engines and over 2,000 more have been ordered. Safran currently operates five production sites in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Goa, with a sixth set to open in Hyderabad in 2025 for LEAP engine maintenance. The company also plans to expand its military work in India with the M88 engine programme.