Airbus plans to double procurement from India

Airbus plans to double the procurement from India to $1.5 billion from $750 million in coming years, said Remi Maillard, President of Airbus India and South Asia at the "Wings India" event.  

"Global aviation is pivoting to India and we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg," said Maillard, adding that the Indian aviation supply chain is transforming.

India-based airlines IndiGo, Air India and Akasa will receive deliveries of hundreds of new planes over the next decade in a boost for local component manufacturers that supply parts to planemakers and engine companies.

In India, Airbus has over 40 suppliers which includes Tata Advanced Systems and Mahindra Aerospace, which provide components and services for its commercial and defence aircraft as well as helicopter platforms.

The aviation market in India is growing rapidly. The total fleet size of its airlines is set to grow to over 2,000 by 2030 from about 700. The government is also investing around $ 12 billion to set up new airports and refurbishing existing ones.  

Domestic manufacturers have kept pace and grown their capacities by "leaps and bounds", Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said at the event, adding that aerospace manufacturing is taking strong roots.

"There is not a single aircraft that is produced by Airbus or Boeing internationally today that does not carry a part that is made in India," Scindia added.

As both planemakers – Airbus and Boeing are sourcing all kinds of parts from India, Scindia said "the time is right" for them to look at setting up a final assembly line for planes in the country.

The latest push comes amid large plane orders for Airbus and Boeing. IndiGo placed a record order for 500 Airbus planes last year while Air India has ordered 470 planes split between the two planemakers.

Recently, India's Akasa Air ordered 150 narrowbody planes from Boeing.