Boeing predicts that the number of commercial airplanes in India and South Asia will almost quadruple over the next 20 years, following steady growth during the past 10.
On February 6, 2025, Boeing shared that this growth will be “fueled by greater demand and a rise in the region’s air traffic.” According to Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), the fleet is expected to increase more than 7% annually through to 2043.
“As our CMO shows, people will have greater access to air travel, and the region’s airlines will require a modern fuel-efficient fleet to meet increased demand over the next two decades,” said Ashwin Naidu, Managing Director of Commercial Marketing for India and South Asia at Boeing.
From 2024 to 2043, India and South Asia are expected to receive 2,835 commercial aircraft. This number includes less than 10 regional jets, 2,445 single-aisle aircraft, 370 widebody aircraft, and 20 freighters.
It’s predicted that domestic air travel will remain the “largest and fastest-growing segment” in India’s travel market, the CMO read. This growth will be enabled by further low-cost carrier expansion and network diversification, as airlines offer more routes and destinations throughout the region.
Fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes such as the 737 MAX are expected to account for nearly nine out of 10 commercial jet deliveries during the forecast period, providing airlines with “greater network flexibility and better economics on fast-growing short- and medium-haul routes”, Boeing said.
The number of widebody aircraft in the region is expected to quadruple as airlines use models such as the 787 Dreamliner and 777X to further develop their long-haul networks, particularly from India to North America, where capacity has doubled in the past decade, the statement read.
The CMO also forecasts that the cargo freighter fleet in India and South Asia, including new and converted models, will grow to five times its present size as the region expands its role in global supply chains, advanced manufacturing and e-commerce.
The total demand for pilots, cabin crew and technicians will quadruple to 129,000, along with commercial airplane fleet expansion, making it the fastest growing region in the world, the statement concluded.
