Aircraft Majors See India Driving Global Demand

Boeing: India and South Asia's Aviation Market to Quadruple by 2044

Boeing projected a dramatic expansion of aviation across India and South Asia, with passenger traffic expected to grow at an average of seven per cent annually over the next two decades. According to its Commercial Market Outlook, airlines in the region will require nearly 3,300 new aircraft by 2044, with single-aisle aircraft accounting for nearly 90 per cent of deliveries. The commercial fleet is projected to grow from 795 aircraft today to approximately 2,925 by 2044, driven primarily by India's booming domestic market and a continued shift from rail to air travel. Wide-body fleets are expected to more than triple, strengthening long-haul connectivity, while freighter fleets are projected to grow fivefold, driven by e-commerce and high-tech manufacturing. Boeing estimates the region will require over $195 billion in aviation services and approximately 1,41,000 new aviation professionals. The outlook reinforces India's emergence as a central pillar of global aviation growth.

Airbus: India's Fleet to Triple to 2,250 Aircraft by 2035

JÜRGEN WESTERMEIER, PRESIDENT & MANAGING DIRECTOR, AIRBUS INDIA & SOUTH ASIA

Airbus projected that India's commercial aircraft fleet will triple to 2,250 aircraft by 2035, driven by strong domestic demand and expanding international ambitions of Indian airlines. Passenger traffic is forecast to grow at 8.9 per cent annually, the fastest among major economies, supported by rising incomes, infrastructure investment and changing travel behaviour. Airbus expects to deliver over 1,250 aircraft to Indian carriers, with annual inductions potentially peaking at 150 aircraft. Workforce demand will surge in parallel, with pilot numbers projected to rise to 35,000 and technical staff to 34,000 by 2035. Airbus also highlighted India's growing role in its global engineering and supply chain ecosystem, with procurement expected to rise to $2 billion annually. The company announced a new 5,000-seater campus in Bengaluru and confirmed assembly programmes for the C-295 and H125 helicopters, reinforcing India's strategic position in global aerospace manufacturing.