India’s air travel boom leads Asia, prompting Airbus to raise growth forecast to 9.3%

India’s domestic air travel growth is expected to remain the fastest in the Asia-Pacific region, with Airbus raising its forecast to 9.3% from 8.9%, a Reuters report said, citing the aircraft maker’s latest 2026-2045 market forecast.

The aircraft maker has also said it has not seen any softening in demand or deliveries despite geopolitical tensions and supply-chain challenges.

Anand Stanley, president of Airbus Asia-Pacific, said that demand remained strong, with airlines showing a continued readiness to take deliveries, at a briefing in Hong Kong on Tuesday.

India to need 3,480 new aircraft

India is expected to require 3,480 new passenger aircraft over the next 20 years, according to Airbus’ latest market forecast, the report showed.

Airbus expects the Asia-Pacific region to account for about 45% of the roughly 42,000 new aircraft that will be needed globally over the next two decades.

China, Airbus’ largest market for commercial jets, is projected to need 8,830 new passenger aircraft, while the rest of Asia-Pacific will require another 6,880, the Reuters report said.

India’s air travel growth outpaces China

The latest Airbus forecast shows a widening gap in projected domestic air traffic growth between India and China.

Airbus raised its forecast for India’s domestic traffic growth to 9.3% from 8.9%, while cutting its China forecast to 4.7% from 5.4%, Reuters reported.

Francois Cabaret, Airbus’ head of global market forecast, said Chinese airlines also face a significant need to renew their fleets.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese airlines were taking around 400 aircraft deliveries a year. Since then, combined deliveries by Airbus, Boeing and Chinese aircraft maker COMAC have fallen to less than half that level, Cabaret said, according to Reuters.

Airbus sees strong aircraft demand

Despite geopolitical and supply-chain headwinds, Airbus said aircraft demand and deliveries have remained resilient.

Stanley said the company was seeing strong demand as well as an increase in deliveries across the board, including in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets, the Reuters report added.

The outlook comes as airlines across Asia-Pacific prepare for continued growth in air travel, with India emerging as the region’s fastest-growing market and accounting for a significant share of the aircraft demand expected over the next two decades.