Air India in talks with Boeing, Airbus for ‘major’ 200 narrow-body aircraft order: Report

Tata Group-owned full-service carrier Air India is reportedly in talks with US-based aircraft maker Boeing and French manufacturer Airbus to potentially order 200 new narrow-body aircraft on top of the previous bulk order amid its ongoing renovation plans, reported the news agency Reuters, citing people aware of the development. 

According to the agency report, the deal can also involve hundreds of aeroplanes in total, spread across various sizes, on top of the previous orders. The airline booked its largest new aircraft order in 2023 after its Tata Group buyout.

The exact number of potential fresh orders remained unclear. However, a person aware of the deal said that it involved a provisional total of 200 narrow-body planes. Air India, in the majority, uses narrow-body planes for its operations.

Air India places a record-breaking order of 470 aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus in 2023 and another 100 Airbus orders in 2024. The report also mentioned that all three companies, Air India, Airbus, and Boeing, refused to comment on the development of the potential new order. 

This development comes as the two largest aircraft manufacturers struggle with delivering the new aircraft orders due to a massive supply chain issue, which causes several delays in aircraft delivery and a shortage, according to the agency report.

IATA Summit

International Air Transport Association (IATA), an aviation industry body, began its World Air Transport Summit 2025 on Sunday, 1 June 2025, and is scheduled to close by Wednesday, 3 June 2025. 

This development of a potential Air India fresh order of aircraft comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the summit on Sunday. The official data also shows the rising demand for air travel in the Indian market.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data shows that the number of passengers carried by domestic airlines during the January to April 2025 period witnessed a 9.87 per cent rise at 575.13 lakhs, compared to 523.46 lakh in the same period a year ago.

Acquiring new aircraft is essential for the former State-owned aviation company, which has seen years of under-investment under government ownership, according to the agency report. This move of revamping its operations is likely an effort to regain market share of the booming Indian aviation industry.