Boeing anticipates increased Dreamliner orders in India, a market poised for significant growth. Despite ongoing tariff issues between India and the US, Boeing India's president expresses confidence in navigating short-term challenges and highlights the B787's bright future in the region. The company remains focused on its customers' needs and the long-term growth of air travel.
US aircraft market: Boeing expects more orders for its Dreamliners in India, which is poised for sustained growth in the coming years, according to a senior company executive. Amid ongoing tariff issues between India and the US, Boeing India and South Asia President Salil Gupte emphasised the two countries' shared goal of industrialising the Indian aerospace sector. They expressed confidence that the aircraft maker will overcome some of these short-term challenges. In India, Boeing 787 Dreamliners are operated by Air India. The airline's first custom-made Dreamliners, delivered post-privatisation in January 2022, are set to commence commercial operations from February 1.
"B787 has an extremely bright future in India…we look forward to potentially more orders for the 787 in India coming," Gupte told PTI in an interview. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet, 26 legacy B787-8s and B787-9s from Vistara, and the new plane. IndiGo also operates some Dreamliners taken on release from Norse Atlantic Airways.
On June 12 last year, an Air India Dreamliner operating flight A 1171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed soon after take off, killing 260 people, and it was also the first fatal accident involving the Dreamliner. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is probing the crash. Against this backdrop, Gupte said it was a challenging year 2025 for Boeing.
"....as we think about the Air India A1171 accident naturally, the victims' families, victims, and all of their loved ones remain foremost in our minds.
"As it relates to the accident investigation, of course, that will go on, and we expect the Indian AAIB will issue its report, but beyond that, there is not much that any of the OEMs can comment on," he said.
In recent years, Boeing has also faced regulatory issues, including with Dreamliners. The global demand for B787S has been incredibly robust, and we expect that will continue in the years to come, Gupte said.
Last year, Boeing delivered 14 B787S to various airlines. In response to a query about increased competition from Airbus, Gupte said competition is natural in the industry, stressing that aeroplanes are tools for our customers to serve their customers.
"We believe that the number of routes and missions that our customers here will want to fly grow for the B787. and we think there is an entire network of possibilities for which the B787 will be ideal," he noted.
Regarding tariff issues, he said Boeing has been around for 100 years and has operated through a wide range of circumstances, including world wars, conflicts, financial crises, and other challenges. "Whether it is a tariff, an economic crisis, or something else in the long term, it does not affect the growth of the business. As societies become more advanced, one thing they do is travel more…
"We are confident that we will be able to see some of these short-term challenges through," Gupte said.
Boeing has over 265 commercial and military aircraft operating in India, a key market for the plane maker. The company has more than 325 suppliers, and the annual meeting from the country is worth over USD 1.25 billion.
Apart from Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet, Boeing planes are also in the fleets of these airlines.
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