India's Airline Fleet to Reach 2,925 by 2044

India's civil aviation sector is poised for explosive growth, with airlines expected to nearly quadruple their fleet to around 2,925 aircraft by 2044, fueled by surging passenger demand and government-backed infrastructure investments, industry leaders announced at the Wings India 2026 summit in Hyderabad this week.

The event, a four-day gathering of global aviation stakeholders that began on Wednesday, highlighted projections from major manufacturers Airbus and Boeing. Airbus forecasts India's commercial fleet will triple to 2,250 aircraft by 2035, positioning the country as the world's third-largest civil aviation market. Jürgen Westermeier, president and managing director of Airbus India and South Asia, attributed this expansion to a booming domestic market and airlines' push into international routes. Passenger traffic in India is expected to grow at 8.9 percent annually through 2035, outpacing the global average.

Boeing's outlook aligns closely, predicting the addition of 3,290 new aircraft across India and South Asia by 2044, including 2,875 single-aisle jets, 395 widebody planes, and 20 freighters. The company's commercial market analysis, released on the summit's opening...