As a prelude to MRO Asia Pacific 2026 and a week of industry activities, AAIS and GIFAS brought together the French and Singapore aerospace communities for the France–Singapore Aerospace Industry Dialogue on 21 September 2026.
Held at the EDB offices, the dialogue brought together industry leaders, government representatives and aerospace companies to exchange perspectives on the Asia Pacific aerospace and MRO market, Singapore’s aerospace ecosystem, supply chain resilience and opportunities for closer collaboration. With more than 30 French companies participating in MRO APAC and 44 Singapore companies represented at the Singapore Pavilion coordinated by AAIS, the dialogue also provided a timely platform for both communities to connect ahead of the week’s wider industry activities.
The event was graced by His Excellency Stephen Marchisio, Ambassador of France to Singapore, who delivered remarks highlighting the longstanding and broad-based partnership between France and Singapore. Beyond aerospace and aviation, the two countries have seen both commercial and government-led collaboration across areas including energy and the environment, sustainable development, research and innovation.
AAIS President Mr Wong Yue Jeen also welcomed the French participants, highlighting the strong and growing presence of French aerospace companies in Singapore. He noted AAIS and GIFAS’ longstanding partnership, including their collaboration at international aerospace platforms and continued engagement through their respective industry networks. With GIFAS now represented in Singapore, Mr Wong said the closer connection between the two associations would help create more opportunities for companies from both communities to connect throughout the year.
Regional Aerospace Outlook
Mr Brian Kough, Senior Director, Aerospace Insights, Aviation Week, provided an overview of the Asia Pacific aerospace and MRO market, highlighting strong underlying demand alongside continued supply chain, capacity and cost pressures.
Key takeaways included:
- A substantial global aircraft backlog: More than 18,300 commercial aircraft are on order worldwide, with Asia Pacific (18%), China(13%) and India(10%) among the significant sources of firm orders. Narrowbodies account for 77% of commercial firm orders.
- Production remains constrained: While OEMs are increasing production rates, supply chain, labour and capacity constraints continue to affect deliveries. Global deliveries in 2025 remained 12% below 2018 levels, with 2026 estimated to be around 4% below 2018.
- Continued fleet growth in Asia: Asia Pacific and China are forecast to receive around 5,600 new aircraft deliveries between 2027 and 2036, with narrowbodies making up around 70% of these deliveries.
- MRO demand is growing rapidly: Global MRO demand is projected at around US$1.7 trillion from 2027–2036, with engine maintenance accounting for 53%, followed by components at 21% and line maintenance at 15%. In Asia Pacific and China, MRO demand in 2026 is projected to be 124% higher than in 2019, despite fleet growth of only 6%.
- Engine MRO is a major driver: Engine MRO accounts for around 56% of regional MRO demand in 2026, estimated at US$24.7 billion, compared with US$6.3 billion in 2019. Engine durability issues, including those affecting the Pratt & Whitney GTF and CFM LEAP, are estimated to generate around US$4.6 billion in additional aftermarket impact.
- Cost and capacity pressures remain: Rising costs, labour shortages, limited capacity and constraints in the availability of used serviceable material are putting pressure on profitability for MRO providers even as demand grows.
- Economic and geopolitical uncertainty remains an additional challenge: Fuel prices, trade policies, tariffs and developments in the Middle East are adding uncertainty to planning and costs across the industry.
Ms Gigi Koh, from EDB’s Mobility Division, then provided an overview of Singapore’s aerospace industry, highlighting the capabilities, opportunities, and supports available within Singapore’s aerospace ecosystem for business development, innovation and workforce upskilling, among others.
Resilience, Opportunities and Supplier Development
Moderated by AAIS Senior Advisor Mr Sia Kheng Yok, an industry discussion brought together
- Ms Ornella Beaussier, Head of Procurement Asia Pacific, Airbus;
- Mr Tan Sim Cheng, Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning & Continuous Improvement, SIA Engineering Company; and
- Mr Zheng Jingxin, Vice President and Head, Mobility, and Deputy Head of Region, Americas, EDB.
The panel discussion, themed “Supply Chain Resilience, Opportunities and Collaboration”, was particularly resonant in an environment where aerospace companies continue to face supply chain pressures while looking for new ways to strengthen capabilities, build partnerships and capture opportunities, including the growing Asia Pacific market.
The panellists explored real challenges and opportunities around supply chain resilience, including bottlenecks in the region and how Singapore fits into wider regional supply chain strategies. They also considered what it takes for SMEs to become trusted regional or global aerospace suppliers, touching on business and operating models, closing capability gaps, and the role of industry and government-led initiatives in supporting supplier development. This included enabling frameworks including the Aero Excellence framework and EDB’s Partnership for Capability Transformation (PACT) programme.
The conversation then turned to how closer France–Singapore collaboration could help address supply chain gaps and unlock opportunities in the region. This included the role AAIS and GIFAS could play in facilitating industry connections, supporting supplier development and creating more platforms for companies to exchange views on supply chain resilience. Members of the audience also contributed their perspectives, reinforcing the value of having regular opportunities for closer and continued industry dialogue.
The exchange continued informally over coffee, croissants and kueh, giving participants from both communities an opportunity to make new connections and carry on conversations and exchanges.
Looking ahead, AAIS and GIFAS will continue to explore further engagements around platforms including the Singapore Space Summit and Paris Air Show, extending collaboration beyond traditional aerospace and MRO into emerging areas such as space and unmanned systems.
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