NB Explains | Air India places largest-ever aircraft deal of 470 with Airbus, Boeing; here's why it is ‘historic’

With AI signing MoUs for 68 Trent XWB-97 engines, it has now become the biggest ever order for the Trent XWB-97, which exclusively powers the Airbus A350-1000. Also, AI"s order of 12 Trent XWB-84 engines – the sole engine option for the Airbus A350-900 – is also being considered a huge order. Though no financial details of the order have been disclosed.

NewsBharati    15-Feb-2023 10:42:50 AM
Total Views | 87
New Delhi, February 15: In the largest shopping event in commercial aviation history, Tata Group's Air India inked multi-billion dollar deals with France's Airbus and American plane-maker Boeing to buy 470 passenger aircraft. Under the agreement with the plane makers, Air India will buy both narrow-body and wide-body planes which will significantly help the country to improve its image on the global platform as an emerging leader in the commercial aviation sector.

Air India places largest-ever aircraft


Air India has placed orders for 250 Airbus aircraft and 220 Boeing planes, in a transaction expected to be worth more than $85 billion. According to reports, Air India will purchase as many as 220 planes from Boeing for USD 34 billion, with an option to buy 70 more aircraft, which could take the total transaction value to USD 45.9 billion.
 
 

As per the deal inked with Airbus, Tata Group will buy 40 wide-body A350 planes and 210 narrow-body aircraft. The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, while the single-aisle aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International, Air India said in a statement. The narrow-body aircraft include 140 A320 planes and 70 A321neo ones. The wide-body aircraft will be used for ultra-long flights. The first of the new aircraft will enter service in late 2023 and the bulk of the planes are to arrive from mid-2025 onwards. A350 will be utilised for ultra-long haul.
 

This is also the first time in more than 17 years that Air India, which was acquired from the government by Tata Group in January 2022, has ordered planes.
 

AI-Rolls Royce collaboration:

With AI signing MoUs for 68 Trent XWB-97 engines, it has now become the biggest ever order for the Trent XWB-97, which exclusively powers the Airbus A350-1000. Also, AI's order of 12 Trent XWB-84 engines – the sole engine option for the Airbus A350-900 – is also being considered a huge order. Though no financial details of the order have been disclosed.
 

This is the first time that an Indian airline has ordered the Trent XWB and the deal will make Air India the largest operator of the Trent XWB-97 in the world.
 

The announcement of the aircraft purchase deal with Airbus was made at an online event that was attended by Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Piyush Goyal, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury.
 
 
Following the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Joe Biden spoke over the landmark agreement between Air India and Boeing. Both welcomed the deal as a "shining example of mutually beneficial cooperation. Macron said Air India's deal with Airbus for the acquisition of 250 aircraft was one of the milestones of the in-depth strategic and friendly partnership between India and France.
 
 
 
 
.
. 
India air India Airbus Boeing Air India aircraft deal AI-Rolls Royce collaboration Trent XWB President Emmanuel Macron
Related News
Decoding Trump

09 Apr 2025

Decoding Trump's Reciprocal Tariffs

The world is worried about higher US inflation & De-dollarization. Isn’t President Trump aware of this? What’s the real reason President Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs against various countries? Will the reciprocal tariffs create a new world order?..

Piyush Goyal

08 Apr 2025

Piyush Goyal's Call for Indian Innovation

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal delivered a sharp critique of India’s startup ecosystem, highlighting its heavy focus on food delivery, betting, and fantasy sports apps, while contrasting it with China’s advancements in electric vehicles (EVs), ..

A Decade Later, Is MUDRA Loan Scheme Fueling Jobs or Just Adding to the Debt Burden?

09 Apr 2025

A Decade Later, Is MUDRA Loan Scheme Fueling Jobs or Just Adding to the Debt Burden?

The MUDRA scheme’s reach has not only expanded in terms of beneficiaries—crossing 52 crore loans—but has also deepened in terms of credit quality and maturity...

Disaster Diplomacy: How India became the World’s First Responder

03 Apr 2025

Disaster Diplomacy: How India became the World’s First Responder

Human welfare has always been a top priority for the Modi government, regardless of where a crisis unfolds — even if it involves a non-ally. This approach reflects his proactive, inclusive, and globally engaged leadership, embodying India’s age-old ..