Pragya Priyadarshini, Managing Director, Primus Partners, highlights the critical challenges stunting the growth of India’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) sector despite the country’s rapid expansion in civil aviation. Currently, only 15–20% of India’s MRO demand is met domestically, with the rest outsourced to countries like Singapore, UAE, and Malaysia. She attributes this to OEM dominance in the aftermarket, limited international certification (such as EASA or FAA) for Indian MROs, and significant infrastructure and cost barriers. With major global OEMs monopolizing key components and offering preferential terms to their own affiliates, India’s dependence on foreign MRO services continues, underscoring the urgent need for structural reforms and strategic investments in the domestic MRO ecosystem.