Neelam Mathews

Tata group-owned Air India made record-breaking announcements&nbsp;today during the ongoing Aero India show in Bangalore. The news started with the signing of a letter of intent to acquire 250 aircraft from Airbus to boost domestic and international operations. The importance of the deal was visible with French President Emmanuel Macron and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding a spirited discussion online during the press conference.
Soon after, it was announced that Air India will buy 220 aircraft from Boeing, which U.S. President Joe Biden called “a historic deal. This announcement reflects the strength of the U.S.-India economic partnership…this purchase will support over one million American jobs,” he added in a statement issued by the White House.
The firm order for 20 Boeing 787 and 10 Boeing 777X aircraft was signed in coordination with a firm order for 40 GEnx-1B and 20 GE9X engines, along with a multi-year engine services agreement. Air India also signed for 190 737 Maxs, including 737-8s and 737-10s, and has options to purchase 50 more Maxs and 20 Boeing 787s.
According to Airbus: “The commitment includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and six A350-900 wide-body jets that will mark a new era for the country as the all-new, long-range aircraft celebrates its debut in the Indian market.” Deliveries are set to commence with the first A350-900 arriving by late 2023.
Rolls-Royce said in a statement that it has received an order from Air India for 68 Trent XWB-97 engines, plus options for 20 more. This is the biggest-ever order for the Trent XWB-97, which exclusively powers the Airbus A350-1000. Air India has also ordered 12 Trent XWB-84 engines, the sole engine option for the Airbus A350-900.
This is the first time that an Indian airline has ordered the Trent XWB, and the deal will make Air India the world's largest operator of the Trent XWB-97. Air India also announced a CFM order for more than 800 LEAP engines, the largest LEAP order ever, to power its entire narrowbody purchase of 210 Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft and 190 Boeing 737 Max-family aircraft. The announcement includes a multi-year CFM services agreement.
At the Aero India show, Safran announced that it had made a strategic plan for India. It is investing $150 million at Hyderabad “for the largest workshop in the world,” said a senior official of Safran India.

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