Public–Private Partnership for MRO in Defence: Application to Aerospace and Land Systems

This article examines the various aspects of employing public–private partnership (PPP) for carrying out maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities for aerospace and land forces in India. PPP in MRO is expected to increase the uptime of the existing equipment, and enable their full exploitation. It would enable harnessing the efficiencies of the private sector while using the resources existing in the public sector. The broad concepts and operational philosophy of MRO for defence equipment are also covered. The enabling mechanisms implemented by the United States (US) for fostering PPP in MRO are discussed as a case study. The article seeks to build up a case for exploring possible exploitation of PPP for MRO in the Indian defence sector, for learning how to leverage the potential of the private sector and the facilities available in the public sector, while retaining overall control by the government.