Aerospace

Each Airbus aircraft partly made in India..!

India’s preference for Airbus aircraft was further consolidated in 2015 with 250 new firm orders, lifting market share of orders and the in-service fleet to over 70 per cent. Today some 56 per cent of India’s in service fleet are Airbus aircraft operated by most leading Indian carriers. This includes India’s first A320neo, the first to be delivered in the Asia region.

Air traffic growth is driven by such factors as urbanisation, the growth in wealth, as seen by the growing middle classes, tourism and trade. India’s population is set to surpass China’s by 2025, and according to Oxford Economics, the number of Indian middle classes will top 600 million people, more than double that of the USA. By 2034, Indian passengers on average will each make four times as many flights as they do today.

As a result, traffic serving the Indian market is set to grow at 8.4 per cent per year over the next 20 years, well above the world average 4.6 per cent. Domestic Indian traffic will grow more quickly at 9.3 percent – making India the world’s leading emerging aviation market.

“Aviation in India has a bright future. As India’s industrial might grows along with it comes economic development, wealth generation and a rise in the number of regular and first time flyers. Airbus offers the most comprehensive aircraft product range from 100 to over 600 passengers to serve the Indian public and this growing demand,” said Dr. Kiran Rao, Airbus EVP Marketing and Strategy.

According to Airbus’ latest global Market Forecast in the 20 years from 2015 to 2034, India will require over 1,600 new passenger and freighter aircraft to help meet growth in demand. Valued at US$224 billion, these will include 1,230 new single aisle aircraft and 380 wide-body passenger and freighter aircraft. By 2035, the number of Indian cities with over one million monthly air passengers will more than triple.

The complete Airbus product line comprises the best-selling A320 Family in the single aisle market, the popular A330 and all-new A350 XWB in the mid-size widebody category and the flagship A380 in the very large aircraft segment. In the freight market Airbus currently offers the new-build A330-200F and the A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (A330P2F) programme.
India 20 year highlights

Over 70% of in-service fleet and backlog orders, 56% of in-service fleet
8.4% annual growth in passenger traffic (global average 4.6%)
New aircraft needs: 1,200+ single aisle, nearly 400 wide-bodies / US$224 billion
Number of Indian middle classes increasing by 50% to over 600 million by 2024
Population rising to 1.4 billion by 2024 – overtaking China as the most populous nation

General messages

We employ some 400 skilled engineers and support 6,000 Indian jobs
Cumulative procurement total to reach US$2 billion by 2020
Every Airbus aircraft from our assembly line is partly ‘Made in India’

Source : Airbus press.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.