India’s commercial aircraft fleet will triple in size to 2,250 aircraft over the next decade, as the
country grows to become the third-largest civil aviation market in the world by 2035. This fleet
expansion is driven both by the Indian aviation market boom and the Indian airlines’ ambition to
expand on international routes.
This three-fold increase in aircraft over 100 seats from the 2025 fleet levels marks one of the
most aggressive expansions in global aviation history. The requirement for aircraft will be driven
by a unique blend of the fastest economic growth among G20 nations, deeper government
spending on infrastructure and a fundamental shift in Indian consumer behavior, with per capita
air travel rising from 0.13 to 0.29 over the next decade.
As a result, passenger traffic in India will grow at 8.9% per annum by 2035, the fastest among
the major economies and well above the long term global average.
To keep this scaled-up fleet airborne, the requirement of pilots is set to surge to 35,000 by 2035,
up from the current 12,000, while the technical workforce must grow to 34,000, tripling the
current strength of 11,000.
“We are witnessing the center of global aviation shift toward the east. India’s fleet expansion will
not only enhance domestic mobility but will position the country as a dominant hub for
international transit. Therefore, the next chapter of Indian aviation must ensure its operating
models evolve at the same pace as the expansion in its fleet and network,” said Jürgen
Westermeier, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia.
“Airbus is uniquely placed to support this growth with the A320 Family for domestic expansion
and the A321XLR and A350 to lead India’s medium-to-long-haul international ambitions.”
As the fleet triples, India will rapidly pivot to become a hub for Maintenance, Repair, and
Overhaul. The market for airframes, engines and components is set to triple to US$9.5 billion by
2035.
Indian airlines are also expected to spend up to US$1 billion by 2035 on digitalisation of flight,
ground and technical operations as well as cyber security and aircraft connectivity.
The fleet growth will be met with an equally ambitious infrastructure roadmap where the
government will increase the number of operational airports by 50, bringing the national total to
approximately 200 by 2035. The additional infrastructure spend will help sustain high-frequency
operations.
