Asia

10 Things to know About IndiGo Airline, India 2021

10 Things to know About IndiGo Airline, India 2021 :

IndiGo is largest passenger airline company in India. IndiGo reached this position in in very short term. IndiGo is low-cost carrier, with being on-time is their mission. Here are some interesting and amazing facts about IndiGo Airline.

1. IndiGo is one of the most successful airline company in very short term they went from one aircraft (Airbus A320) in August 2006 to fleet size of 281 including A320neo, A320ceo, ATRs and A321neo.

2. The company has a net income of US $5.2 billion as of 2020 and has 23,531 employees (2019)

10 Things to know About IndiGo Airline, India 2021

3. IndiGo has a total destination of 92 with 68 domestic and 24 International destinations, including some famous destinations Amsterdam, Paris, London Heathrow, Brussels, Zurich and more.

4. IndiGo is the most efficient low fare operator for both domestic and global. To maintain the low-cost fare and carrier profitable, IndiGo offers only economy class seating and does not offer in-flight entertainment.

5. The company operates 1500 daily flight and in 2020 IndiGo transported 6.96 million passengers, due to pandemic the numbers are down from 64.74 million in 2019.

6. Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi (India) is the primary hub of IndiGo Airline.

7. IndiGo won 4 Stevie Awards in 2021 for Contact Center of the Year, Best Use of Technology in Customer Service, Best Customer Feedback Strategy and Customer Service Complaints Team of the Year.

8. IndiGo is certified by Skytrax as 4-Star Low-Cost Airline for Central Asia.

9. IndiGo has 83.7% on-time-performance in 2019.

10. IndiGo code shares with Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines and IndiGo uses an Indigo-sky blue livery on aircraft.

Aerospace

India is in talks with Nigeria regarding the export of its single-engine Tejas and Prachand helicopter

Philippines in Talks to Procure India's LCH Prachand Helicopter

India is actively exploring its defense market and making audacious moves to establish itself as a significant player in targeting the African defense market to sell Tejas and Prachand.

According to the sources, Nigeria, in negotiations to purchase Indian aircraft such as the LCA Tejas and LCH Prachand, has recently opted to acquire the M-346FA light fighter-trainer aircraft from Italy. This decision comes after expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of the JF-17 Thunder jets, signaling a shift away from acquiring additional JF-17s.

How will be the Tejas Mark 2 compared to the F-16 block 50/52?

India is actively challenging Russia and China’s long-standing dominance in Africa, focusing on the lucrative market. While the India-Nigeria connection is longstanding, it’s rapidly evolving. In the fiscal year 2021-22, India emerged as Nigeria’s largest trading partner.

In March 2024, India intensified efforts to explore potential exports. A defense industry delegation visited Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, signaling India’s interest in exporting its single-engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

Building the LCA Tejas Mark 2 prototype could take longer than expected.

Recent reports suggest Nigeria is considering acquiring 15 fighter jets to replace its aging Chengdu F-7NI fleet, with India emerging as a leading supplier, proposing its indigenous Tejas fighter jet.

The HAL Tejas is an advanced Indian multirole combat aircraft featuring a delta wing design, produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It serves as a pivotal asset for air defense, maritime reconnaissance, and strike missions, tailored to excel in high-threat scenarios. With nearly 40 initial variants already inducted, the Tejas stands as a cornerstone of the IAF’s operational capabilities.

Comparison of the Tejas Mark1 vs korean T-50 Golden eagle

Previously, Nigeria had explored Indian-built options such as the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) ‘Prachand,’ Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) ‘Dhruv.’

The Prachand helicopter, designed for battlefield deployment as an attack helicopter, stands out with its advanced weaponry and avionics. Positioned to compete with helicopters like the Apache, Turkish T129, and the European Tiger, Prachand emphasizes India’s capability to produce unique and technologically advanced military assets.

Beyond military hardware, India’s strategic move includes establishing a local currency settlement system with Nigeria, a development of notable economic significance forged in May 2024.