India's Aviation Boom: Record Aircraft Orders and Market Growth

India's aviation market is quickly becoming one of the world's most dynamic sectors. With a large portion of air travel within the country, it's a key player in the region's air traffic. Despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is bouncing back, led by giants like IndiGo (holding a market share over 60%) which holds the lion’s share of the market. Predictions suggest that by the end of 2024, India could overtake the UK, becoming the third largest market for air passengers globally.

Signalling robust market growth, Indian airlines has recently witnessed some record breaking aircraft orders from giants like Airbus and Boeing. IndiGo's groundbreaking deal for 500 Airbus A320s, and Air India's combined order for 470 planes, highlight a positive prediction for India's plans for some really progressive air travel. Both of these never ever seen before purchases show us proof of the airlines' strategies to expand in the future.

Speaking in a press release at the Wings India 2022, Airbus stated a prediction that India will need around 2210 new aircraft that includes a mix of 1,770 small and 440 medium to large aircrafts. This directly shows how India is preparing for its rapidly growing air travel market.

As we mentioned before, IndiGo, leading the charge in Indian aviation, has made a historic move by securing a deal for 500 A320 Family aircraft from Airbus (scheduled between 2030 and 2035) marking it as the largest single purchase agreement in commercial aviation history. Something remarkable about this order is that it highlights IndiGo's commitment to expanding its network to meet India's air travel demands as well as make its position strong, both domestically and internationally.

Air India, on the other hand, leaves no stone unturned with its combined purchase of 470 aircraft (220 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 250 Airbus A350s). This striking deal by IndiGo and Air India has set a new benchmark for the entire industry.

With a monumental order of 226 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Akasa Air has firmly positioned itself as a huge trailblazer in the Indian aviation sector. This strategic expansion, valued at approximately $20 billion, highlights the airline's commitment to the expanding demand within India's domestic aviation market.

By progressively integrating 204 additional aircraft into its current fleet of 22 over the next eight years, Akasa is not only expanding its operational capacity but also setting a mark for future growth in the industry. This move, as articulated by founder and CEO Vinay Dube, not only pushes Akasa towards becoming a global aviation contender but also reflects the vibrant potential of India's aviation landscape.

These big buys signal the airlines' readiness to serve more local as well as global travellers and speed to the top of the aviation ladder. With these new additions, they're getting ready for a future where more people in India choose to fly, helping the country's aviation scene grow even bigger.

India's aviation sector has grown dramatically, confirming its place as the world's third largest domestic aviation market, with estimates that it will surpass the United Kingdom as the third largest air passenger market by 2025. The aviation industry makes a considerable contribution to India's GDP, providing millions of employment and adding large gross value. Low-cost carriers and rising household incomes have boosted access to air travel, resulting in higher domestic traffic and improved operational performance.

Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, emphasised the government's commitment to building an extensive aviation ecosystem, which will help India play an important part in the global aviation landscape. This strategy is supported by increasing the number of airports from 74 in 2014 to 149, as well as the execution of additional greenfield airports. The government's capacity building measures, such as increasing the number of Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) and providing a record number of Commercial Pilot Licences, continue to promote the sector's expansion.

India's aviation sector is on a fast track, and there's a big call for more pilots and technical crew to keep up with its growth. By 2040, we're looking at needing around 34,000 new pilots and 45,000 tech experts.

To help meet this demand, Airbus is teaming up with Air India to open a new pilot training centre in Gurugram, and they're also working with GMR Aero Technic for maintenance training in Hyderabad. These steps are part of a bigger push by the government to boost local training, making it easier and less expensive for future pilots and technicians to get their training right here in India.

India's air travel market also saw an excellent 8.34% gain in domestic passengers to 15.20 crore in 2023, amid a tiny 4.9% drop in January 2024 from the previous month. Air India balanced this trend by adding 53,000 passengers, but IndiGo reported a significant 7% reduction, owing primarily to technical concerns grounding planes.

The competition for market share is intense, with Air India's group, including its partner airlines, aiming for a 30% share, aided by an increased fleet. IndiGo currently leads the market with a 60.5% share, with Air India and Vistara lagging at 9.7% and 9.1%, respectively, with Tata's AIX Connect and SpiceJet taking considerable shares.

In January 2024, India's leading airlines reported outstanding load factors, indicating that available tickets were being used to their full potential. IndiGo led with 91.2% load factor, followed by Air India (95.0%), SpiceJet (94.6%), and Vistara (94.8%). These data indicate the airlines' effectiveness in accommodating passengers and highlight the robust demand in India's air travel market.

Building on this positive trend, the cargo section of India's aviation sector is also growing, helping a wide range of businesses from e-commerce to pharmaceuticals. This development is reflected in airlines' improved cargo handling capacities, which are driven further by inventory upgrades such as Air India's widebody purchase agreements. Such upgrades not only improve passenger services but also increase cargo capacity, paving the way for future growth and creativity in air cargo operations across the country.

It is pure science that with strategic enhancements in infrastructure, policy reforms, and a booming economy, India is poised to not only meet but exceed global aviation standards. The goal is to sustain a USD 20 trillion economy by 2047, with a focus not only on planes and airports but also on creating an all inclusive airline ecosystem. The number of airports in India has doubled in the previous nine years, with the construction of 21 Greenfield airports, 12 of which are already operating.

In addition, aviation minister Scindia has highlighted the quick development of places such as Madhya Pradesh, where interconnectivity has increased considerably from 13 cities in 2014 to over 31 cities today, including international links to Dubai and Sharjah. The number of aircraft movements per week has also doubled, demonstrating the government's efforts to develop the aviation industry.

In December 2023, Boeing and Airbus both showcased strong performance in the commercial aviation sector. Airbus achieved industry records with a backlog of 8,598 jets, the highest gross orders in a year at 2,319 jets, and net new orders at 2,094 jets. Boeing also set a company record with a backlog of 6,216 jets, indicating a promising future for both manufacturers.

For the month of December, Boeing delivered 67 jets which included a mix of 45 737s (comprising 44 MAX and 1 NG models), 7 767s, 4 777s, and 11 787s. The 737 MAX program notably rebounded with strong delivery numbers in November and December after overcoming a manufacturing issue that had previously impacted deliveries.

Airbus, on the other hand, delivered 112 units in December, surpassing Boeing's deliveries. Throughout 2023, Airbus maintained its lead for the fifth consecutive year with a total of 735 aircraft delivered compared to Boeing's 528. Looking ahead, Boeing plans to ramp up its production rates, especially for the 737 MAX, aiming to reach approximately 50 jets per month by the 2025/26 timeframe, with a new production line opening in Everett in the latter half of 2024.

This ambitious target aligns with their pre-crash/pre-pandemic production rate and signifies Boeing's strategic efforts to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and meet the growing demand in commercial aviation.

Both Boeing and Airbus are gearing up for increased competition and striving to meet the high demand in the aviation market, signalling an exciting era of growth and innovation in the industry.

Speaking of an exciting era of growth, Airbus is teaming up with Tata and Air India to kick off a top notch pilot training centre in Gurugram, and it's all about giving India's aviation scene a major boost. They're planning to get 5,000 new pilots ready to fly over the next ten years, using some of the latest tech and simulators around. This isn't just about flying; it's about pushing the envelope with new skills and tech in the aviation world.

Plus, they're joining forces with GMR Aero Technic in Hyderabad to level up the game in aircraft maintenance training. It's clear Airbus is digging deep into India's potential, aiming to ramp up everything from aircraft assembly to pilot training. They're on a mission to make India a big deal in the global aviation market.

This recent deal is set to create a wave of job opportunities all over in India's aviation sector. This collaboration is expected to bring about 200,000 jobs, both directly in aviation and in related fields. Looking ahead, the Boeing Commercial Market Outlook for 2023 indicated a bright future for South Asia, especially India.

This expansion is not just about more aircrafts; it's also about the people who will fly them, maintain them and ground staff. The industry is looking to fill around 37,000 pilot positions and 38,000 mechanic roles. This growth is a big deal for companies like Air India, Boeing, Airbus, Akasa, and IndiGo, offering a variety of roles from flying to ground services and beyond.

India's domestic air travel scene is really taking off! Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia shared at the Wings India summit that the number of folks flying within the country is expected to hit 300 million by the end of 2030. New Delhi's gearing up to welcome 100 million passengers next year, making it the world's second busiest airport, right after Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta.

What is interesting is that the ride between Mumbai and New Delhi is now the world's third busiest route. With India already ranking third in domestic air travel, it's on track to become the third largest aviation market globally by 2026, as per the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The airline industry's also seeing some sunny days ahead, with profits expected to soar to $49.3 billion in 2024. That's a big jump from last year's $40.7 billion.

The future of Indian aviation seems to be quite promising, with all signals pointing to a dramatic rise. The Indian skies will be buzzing with more flights than ever before, thanks to all these major aircraft orders from Tata and Air India, as well as smart expansions by leading competitors like Boeing and Airbus.

This increase is more than just adding more planes; it is also about integrating India more intimately to the global network, making it a key hub for international aviation. The industry's return to profits, as seen by IATA's positive revenue estimates, strengthens the sector's long term prospects.

For investors, these recent events present an opportunity. The mix of strategic airline expansions, government assistance, and a developing aviation market produces an appealing investment landscape.