NEW DELHI, March 19 -- State-owned aircraft maintenance firm AI Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) is looking to expand into India's next aviation hubs, holding discussions to set up maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities at the upcoming Jewar airport and the three-month-old Navi Mumbai International Airport, as it seeks to capture rising demand from airlines.

According to chief executive Sharad Agarwal, the country's largest MRO plans to invest Rs.200-300 crore in the new facilities, even as competition intensifies with airlines and airport operators moving to build captive maintenance bases.

Carriers such as Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Air have outlined plans to set up their own MRO infrastructure, including at Bengaluru and ...