DELHI— Airbus expects to deliver more than two aircraft to India every week over the next decade, underscoring the scale of the country’s rapidly expanding aviation market.
The European manufacturer currently has a backlog of more than 1,200 aircraft for Indian customers, according to Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.
Airbus already accounts for more than 500 of the nearly 800 commercial aircraft flying in India. Westermeier said the existing order backlog represents an average of about 120 aircraft deliveries annually over the next 10 years, reinforcing Airbus’ growing role in the Indian aviation sector.
Airbus Has a Big India Backlog
The 1,200-aircraft backlog translates into a delivery rate of more than two aircraft a week if spread evenly across the coming decade.
Westermeier said the volume reflects strong demand from Indian airlines as carriers expand their fleets to serve a growing passenger market.
The scale of the backlog also highlights the importance of India to Airbus’ global commercial aircraft business.
With more than 500 Airbus aircraft already operating in the country, the manufacturer has established a substantial installed fleet that will require continued support as new aircraft enter service.
The Indian market is also becoming increasingly important for widebody aircraft. Airlines are expanding international networks while seeking additional capacity, creating demand for aircraft across both the single-aisle and widebody segments.
Airbus Supports MRO in India
Airbus is simultaneously increasing its focus on maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities in India as the local fleet expands.
The manufacturer has selected Indamer Technics to establish a comprehensive radome repair facility in Nagpur.
The facility will be authorised to repair, store and exchange radomes for Airbus A320, A330, A350 and A380 aircraft across the South Asian region.
Airbus expects such capabilities to strengthen the local aviation ecosystem while reducing the time airlines need to keep aircraft out of service.
The company is also working with Indamer Technics to develop a localised Airbus avionics repair network across South Asia. The initiative is intended to support customer operations as Indian airlines introduce more widebody aircraft while improving maintenance support for their existing single-aisle fleets.
Air India Incident Might Trouble India
Westermeier also addressed the August 4 incident involving Air India (AI) flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 operating from Phuket (HKT) to Delhi (DEL).
The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of approximately 300 feet during cruise before stabilising and landing safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Money Control flagged.
The incident resulted in injuries to passengers and crew and prompted an investigation by Indian aviation authorities.
Airbus has been involved in the technical investigation, while official processes continue to determine the circumstances surrounding the altitude loss.
For Airbus, the incident comes as the company prepares to support a much larger Indian fleet.
The planned delivery rate of more than two aircraft per week will require not only manufacturing capacity but also a broader network of maintenance and technical support within the country.
The combination of aircraft deliveries and local MRO development therefore points to a deeper Airbus presence in India, extending beyond new aircraft sales to long-term fleet support.
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