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New Delhi: In his social media post on Thursday, The airline’s chief commercial officer Nipun Agarwal said that Air India has ordered a total of 840 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, including 370 optional purchases.
“The order includes 470 firm aircraft, 370 options and purchase rights to be purchased from Airbus and Boeing over the next decade. The Airbus firm’s order includes 210 A-320/321 Neo/XLR and 40 A350-900/1000. The Boeing firm’s order includes 190 737-MAXs, 20 787s and 10 777s. We have also tied up with CFM International, Rolls-Royce and GE Aerospace for long term maintenance of engines.
“This is indeed a historic moment in the history of Air India and Indian aviation. This order of 840 aircraft is the culmination of an exciting journey that began almost two years ago with the privatization process of Air India.
Agarwal said the aircraft order reflects the vision and aspiration of the Tata group to transform Air India into a world-class airline and connect India to every major city in the world “non-stop”.
“This order is also a testament to the tremendous economic potential released by the privatization of Air India,” he added.
‘We would like to thank the teams at Airbus, Boeing, CFM, GE and Rolls-Royce for their wonderful support during the campaign. We are proud to build a deep relationship and lay a solid foundation for a long-lasting partnership.’
On Tuesday, United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a “historic agreement” between Air India and Boeing, in which The Tata-owned airline bought 220 aircraft from the American aviation major. It is Boeing’s third largest sale by dollar value and second largest by volume.
In a statement, echoing his political slogan of revitalizing American industry and bringing jobs back home, Biden said America can and will lead the world in manufacturing.
“I am proud to announce today the purchase of over 200 American-made aircraft through a historic agreement between Air India and Boeing. This purchase will support more than one million American jobs in 44 states and many will not require a four-year college degree,” Biden said.
On the same day, Air India unveiled its modernization plans with the acquisition of 250 aircraft from Airbus in a virtual ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The near-simultaneous announcement of the Boeing deal makes it a record purchase. It also reflects a strategic balancing act where both France and the US, India’s closest partners, get a piece of the financial pie of the Indian aviation market.
