British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday commented on India’s budget carrier IndiGo’s multi-billion-dollar order of 500 Airbus aircraft and welcomed the deal as a major win for the UK aerospace sector. This multi-billion-dollar order from India will support thousands of jobs and the economic growth of the country’s aerospace sector.
The UK Prime Minister took to Twitter to hail the order and commented, “Airbus’s deal with IndiGo will be worth billions to the UK and support thousands of jobs across the country – helping to grow the economy.”
On Monday, India’s largest airline by market share, IndiGo and UK’s one of the largest commercial aerospace companies, Airbus announced the purchase agreement. This was one of the largest aircraft purchases by an airline in civil aviation history.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also hailed the IndiGo-Airbus deal by saying that India has set another landmark in the civil aviation sector. The civil aviation minister highlighted that this deal comes very close on the heels of the Air India order of 470 aircraft (250 with Airbus and 220 with Boeing). While commenting on the historic order, Scindia said that the investment in the aviation sector has a “multiplier effect”, adding that every dollar invested yields results that are three times higher in terms of growth.
With the latest order by IndiGo, the total number of Airbus aircraft on order by the company has reached 1,330 – this, in turn, establishes IndiGo as the world’s biggest A320 customer. This order will provide IndiGo with a further steady stream of deliveries of aircraft between 2030 and 2035.
This multi-billion-dollar deal was signed this week by Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury and Christian Scherer, Rahul Bhatia, Promoter and Managing Director of IndiGo, Dr Venkataramani Sumantran, Chairman and Non-Executive Independent Director of IndiGo, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Head of International at the Paris Air Show.
Speaking on the development, Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo said that at the moment it is difficult to overstate the significance of IndiGo’s new historic order for 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. Airbus CCO Christian Scherer said that this landmark order is a “resounding endorsement” of the A320 family’s best-in-class operating economics. Scherer also expressed his confidence that this mega order will enable IndiGo to fulfill its mission to continue to boost economic growth, social cohesion and mobility in India.
Over the last two decades, the New Delhi-headquartered IndiGo has been instrumental in democratising air travel in India. The company pitches itself among the fastest-growing carriers across the globe.
Since its inception, the company’s fleet of A320neo family has grown into one of the world’s largest with 264 aircraft currently in operation. IndiGo’s fleet includes 162 A320neo, 79 A321neo, 21 A320ceo and 2 A321 freighters.
According to a statement by IndiGo, the company currently operates over 1,800 daily flights, connecting 78 domestic destinations. The company also added that it plans to grow its international footprint to 32 international destinations.