Boeing to invest $100m in infrastructure, pilot training programs in India

This investment by Boeing comes after Air India signed firm orders for over 200 jets from Boeing earlier in the week. The orders include 20 787 Dreamliners, 10 777Xs, and 190 737 MAX narrowbody aircraft.

Also read: Akasa Air adds four aircraft to its original order book of 72 Boeing 737 Max, targets international expansion

On June 20, Tata Group-owned Air India made a significant purchase agreement with Airbus and Boeing, signing deals to acquire a total of 470 aircraft. The agreement was finalised during the ongoing Paris Air Show, marking a major milestone for the airline company.

According to Air India’s official statement, the purchase includes 250 Airbus aircraft and 220 new Boeing jets, with a combined value of $70 billion at list prices.

The Air India deal came a day after Indian civil airline company IndiGo, India’s largest airline, which placed a historic order for 500 narrow-body aircraft with French aerospace giant Airbus. With IndiGo’s order primarily focused on narrow-body planes, the opportunity for wide-body aircraft has opened up, attracting the attention of Boeing, the American aircraft manufacturer, in the long-haul segment.

In addition to Air India and IndiGo, Akasa Air, the country’s newest airline and a budget carrier, recently ordered four Boeing 737 Max jets, joining the growing list of airlines in India expanding their fleets.

The investment by Boeing is seen as a positive development for the aviation sector in India, as it will contribute to the growth and development of pilot training programs and infrastructure in the country. It also highlights the strong ties between Boeing and India’s aviation industry.

This development also comes along with a series of deals signed by both US and Indian companies during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington. 

Also read: ‘Boeing can fuel IndiGo’s aspirations’

(With inputs from Reuters)

Updated: 23 Jun 2023, 02:59 PM IST