Boeing says Indian, South Asian airlines will need 3,300 new aircraft by 2044 amid rising air travel demand
Airline operators in India and other South Asian countries are expected to need around 3,300 new aircraft by 2044 due to increasing demand for air travel, the news agency reported. PTI, On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, he referred to US-based aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing.
“India and South Asia’s passenger air traffic will increase by an average of 7 percent annually over the next 20 years, driven by a growing middle class, economic growth, and airport and connectivity investments,” Boeing said in the agency’s report.
Airlines in the region will need around 45,000 pilots, 45,000 technicians and 51,000 cabin crew over the next 20 years, Boeing said in its latest Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) report for South Asia.
About 90% of projected deliveries will consist of 2,875 narrow-body aircraft and 395 wide-body aircraft, according to the agency’s report citing the aircraft manufacturer.
India’s emerging air travel market
Ashwin Naidu, Boeing’s General Manager of Commercial Marketing for Eurasia and the Indian Subcontinent, said India is a growing market and the country will add more aircraft.
According to the agency’s report, India is the fastest growing region and its airline fleet is expected to quadruple in the next two decades. Naidu presented the Commercial Market Outlook report on the sidelines of the four-day aviation summit Wings India 2026.
The report also stated that demand for air travel means airlines will need approximately 3,300 new aircraft by 2044.
“Taking into account growth and innovation, the India and South Asia region’s fleet will grow from 795 to 2,925 aircraft within two decades, an almost quadruple increase over that period,” the report said.
As India grows as a major hub for international passenger and cargo traffic, Indian and South Asian airlines are also expected to expand and diversify their long-haul networks, according to the CMO.
“The South Asian region’s wide-body fleet will more than triple by 2044 as carriers enable millions of Indian and South Asian passengers to travel to international markets including the Middle East, Europe and North America,” Boeing said in its report, quoted by the news agency.
Investing in South Asia
Investments in the South Asian region will require more than $195 billion in aviation services, including maintenance, repair and modifications, digital services and training, according to the agency’s report, citing the American aircraft manufacturing giant.
The report also stated that the air cargo market will grow with the increasing need for more cargo aircraft due to high-tech manufacturing growth in India and the increasing role of e-commerce.
“The South Asia region’s fleet of new and converted freighters is expected to grow five times its current size over the next two decades to support growing air cargo demand,” Boeing said.
