New Delhi: Boeing Co has planned to invest about $24 million in India to set up a logistics centre for airplane parts to boost its footprint in the country amid a large plane order. Air India is expected to announce a major deal this week for nearly 500 jets, worth more than $100 billion at list prices, split between Boeing and Airbus in which Boeing’s share includes 220 planes split as 190 737 MAX narrowbody jets, 20 787 wide bodies, and 10 777Xs.
The move comes at a time when Boeing is making deeper inroads into India’s single-aisle market, the mainstay of rival Airbus, and winning orders from startup airline Akasa Air and rival SpiceJet.
Aircraft manufacturers forecast India’s carriers will need 2,200 new planes over the next 20 years, with narrowbody planes making up the bulk.
Salil Gupte, President of the local unit said, “India is one of the most important civil aviation markets in the world … and that means there’s going to be huge opportunity in both narrowbody and widebody aircraft.” With the new centre, the company aims to speed up access to parts which will improve aircraft availability for airlines and reduce flight cancellations or grounding due to maintenance issues.
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