HYDERABAD, Telangana — Airbus projects that India’s commercial aircraft fleet will triple to about 2,250 planes over the next decade, positioning the country as the world’s third-largest civil aviation market by 2035, according to senior company executives.
The expansion will be driven by a surge in domestic air travel and Indian airlines’ growing ambitions to expand international operations, Airbus said on the sidelines of Wings India 2026, the civil aviation exhibition and summit held here on Thursday.
Jurgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, said the projected threefold increase in aircraft with more than 100 seats from 2025 fleet levels represents one of the most aggressive expansion phases in global aviation history.
He said demand for new aircraft will be fueled by a combination of factors, including the fastest economic growth among G20 nations, increased government investment in infrastructure, and a fundamental shift in consumer behavior. Per capita air travel in India is expected to rise from 0.13 trips per year to 0.29 over the next decade.
As a result, passenger traffic in India is projected to grow at an annual rate of 8.9 percent through 2035, the fastest among major economies and well above the long-term global average.
To support the expanded fleet, the number of pilots required is expected to rise to about 35,000 by 2035, up from roughly 12,000 today. The technical workforce will also need to expand significantly, growing to around 34,000 from the current level of about 11,000, Westermeier said.
“We are witnessing the centre of global aviation shift toward the east. India’s fleet expansion will not only enhance domestic mobility but will also 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,” he said.
“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 expands, India is also expected to emerge as a major hub for maintenance, repair, and overhaul services. The market for airframes, engines, and components is projected to triple to about $9.5 billion by 2035.
Indian airlines are further expected to invest up to $1 billion by 2035 in the digitalization of flight, ground, and technical operations, as well as in cybersecurity and aircraft connectivity, Westermeier said.
The fleet growth will be matched by a large-scale infrastructure push, with the government planning to add about 50 operational airports over the next decade, bringing the national total to roughly 200 by 2035. Officials say the additional infrastructure investment will be critical to sustaining high-frequency flight operations as the market continues to expand. (Source: IANS)
