Why Airbus Predicts Indian Airline Fleets Will Triple to 2,250 Jets

European manufacturer Airbus projects a massive expansion for India’s commercial aviation sector. India’s commercial aircraft fleet is expected to triple in size over the next decade. This growth will reach approximately 2,250 aircraft by 2035. This forecast was announced at the Wings India 2026 exhibition.

Key Growth Drivers

India is set to become the world’s third-largest civil aviation market. This rapid expansion is driven by several strong factors. One factor is the country’s resilient economic growth. Another is a quickly expanding middle-class population. Air travel penetration remains relatively low. Per capita air travel is currently about 0.13 trips. This figure is projected to more than double to 0.29. This indicates significant untapped potential for growth.

Passenger traffic in India is forecast to grow at 8.9% annually. This rate is the fastest among all major global economies. Jürgen Westermeier, President of Airbus India, noted the shift. He stated the center of global aviation is moving toward the east.

Market Share and Competition

Indian airlines have placed massive aircraft orders recently. These orders aim to expand fleets, not just replace older jets. Airbus currently holds a strong lead in the market. They account for approximately 72% of the total order backlog. This backlog includes more than 1,250 aircraft for Indian carriers. Major Indian carriers like IndiGo and Air India lead the market.

Airbus expects to deliver an average of 120 to 150 planes annually. This delivery pace translates to roughly two aircraft per week. Competitor Boeing also sees strong regional growth. Boeing estimates India and South Asia will need nearly 3,300 new aircraft. This longer-term forecast extends to the year 2044.

Infrastructure and Workforce Challenges

The rapid fleet expansion creates a huge demand for support services. The Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) market is set to boom. Airbus projects the MRO market will grow from $3 billion to $9.5 billion. This tripling will happen over the next ten years.

Workforce development is a critical challenge. Airbus forecasts a significant surge in required personnel. The number of pilots needed will climb to 35,000 by 2035. This is a sharp rise from the current total of 12,000 pilots. The technical workforce must also nearly triple in size. It must grow from 11,000 to approximately 34,000 technicians.

• The government is also expanding aviation infrastructure.
• The number of operational airports has more than doubled since 2014.
• The total number of airports is expected to reach 200.
• This infrastructure growth is key to supporting the fleet expansion.

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