India to require over 1,100 planes worth $105 billion by 2025: Airbu

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) Airlines in India will require 1,100 passenger and freight aircraft worth 105 billion dollars to serve the strong demand by 2025, European plane manufacturer Airbus said today.

In August, the Seattle-based plane maker Boeing projected a need for 856 new commercial jets worth over 72 billion dollars over the next 20 years.

According to the latest Airbus global market forecast, India will become the fastest-growing country for air travel for the next decade.

''Strong demand is being unleashed by air transport deregulation, emergence of a number of new operators, lower fares and large untapped demand for air travel,'' said Airbus' chief operating officer for customers John Leahy.

According to the forecast, India will require 935 passenger aircraft and 165 freighters. The number of passenger aircraft will increase five-fold from 190 aircraft in service at the end of 2005.

''The aviation sector in India is growing at a rapid pace and is strategic for Airbus,'' said Mr Leahy.

Airbus estimates that India will see average annual passenger traffic growth of 7.7 per cent through to 2025, well above the world average of 4.8 per cent and projected Chinese growth of 7.2 per cent.

More than 50 per cent of the aircraft fleet currently operating in India are Airbus planes, said Mr Leahy. The customers include Air India, Indian, Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Kingfisher, GoAir and Indigo.

The freight fleet is poised to increase by almost 20-fold to meet a potentially large untapped market -- from eight freighter aircraft in service last year to 165 in 2025, said Mr Leahy.

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