GMR Group is developing a 500-acre integrated aviation and aerospace hub adjacent to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district. The project is aimed at creating an industrial ecosystem for aerospace and defence manufacturing, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), research and development, and aviation-related services.
The proposed hub will bring together aircraft component manufacturing, defence production, assembly facilities, MRO services, design and testing infrastructure, logistics facilities and specialised training centres. It is expected to attract global aerospace and defence manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers and research organisations to the region.
A major component of the development will be an MRO facility, which GMR Group founder and Chairman G. M. Rao had earlier said would be among the world’s largest. The integrated ecosystem is also expected to support the establishment of research and development units, training institutions and supplier networks, creating opportunities for skilled employment in the region.
The aviation hub is part of the broader development surrounding Bhogapuram airport, which was developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited under the public-private partnership model. The airport has an initial passenger-handling capacity of six million passengers per annum, with provision to expand to more than 40 million passengers annually.
The wider development also includes commercial and residential zones, cargo and logistics infrastructure, and an aviation education and training ecosystem. The proposed GMR-MANSAS Aviation EduCity, spread across approximately 136 acres, is intended to bring together academic institutions, industry-linked training, research and aviation skill development.
The project is expected to strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s position in the country’s aviation and aerospace manufacturing sector by connecting industrial facilities with airport infrastructure, highways, railways and port networks. GMR’s development plan also incorporates sustainability measures, including renewable energy and water recycling, to support the creation of a net-zero-focused industrial hub.