Aviation takeoff: Boeing projects 3,290 new aircraft for India and South Asia over next 20 yrs

Boeing on Wednesday said airlines in India and South Asia are expected to add 3,290 commercial aircraft to their fleets over the next 20 years, driven by strong economic growth, a rising middle class and an increase in first-time flyers, according to Reuters.

The projection marks a sharp increase from Boeing’s previous rolling 20-year outlook, which had estimated demand for 2,835 jets.

India and South Asia are among the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, with airlines rapidly adding capacity and upgrading fleets as airport infrastructure expands. Both low-cost and full-service carriers are also pushing deeper into new domestic and international routes.

The region has emerged as a key battleground for aircraft manufacturers, with Airbus and Boeing competing closely as airlines step up aircraft purchases.

Boeing said carriers in the region are likely to induct 395 wide-body aircraft and 2,875 single-aisle planes over the forecast period.

The outlook is closely watched across the global aerospace industry. India is now the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, after the United States and China, and also the fastest-growing, led by IndiGo and Air India, the country’s two largest carriers.

“There are lots of other aviation markets in the world that are larger, but now they have reached a point where they are effectively replacing fleets more than growing fleets … what India is doing is exactly the opposite,” said Ashwin Naidu, Boeing’s managing director of commercial marketing for India and South Asia.

Naidu said India would need to significantly scale up aviation infrastructure to keep pace with the sector’s rapid growth.

“India’s network still remains very heavily concentrated on Delhi and Mumbai, with over 30% of the network still reliant on these two markets,” he said.

Boeing, meanwhile, has been recovering from a series of crises. The company delivered its highest number of aircraft in 2025 since 2018 and overtook Airbus in net orders for the first time in seven years.

However, the industry continues to face slow deliveries due to supply chain disruptions, limiting manufacturers’ ability to meet demand and forcing airlines to spend more on maintaining older aircraft.