India, South Asia airlines will need nearly 3,300 new planes by 2044: Boeing

Airlines in India and South Asia will need nearly 3,300 new planes by 2044 as air traffic demand is on the rise, U.S. aircraft maker Boeing said on Wednesday (January 28, 2026).

Single-aisle jets or the narrow-body planes will account for nearly 90% of these projected deliveries at 2,875 while wide-body aircraft will be at 395.

In its Commercial Marker Outlook (CMO) for South Asia, Boeing also said airlines in the region would require about 45,000 pilots, 45,000 technicians and 51,000 cabin crew, over the next two decades.

India is a growth market and the country will add more planes, Boeing Managing Director of Commercial Marketing, Eurasia and Indian Subcontinent Ashwin Naidu said.

According to him, India is the fastest growing region, with the fleet quadrupling over the next 20 years.

He presented the CMO on the sidelines of the four-day aviation summit Wings India 2026 in the city.

“India and South Asia’s passenger air traffic will rise an average of 7 per cent annually over the next 20 years, spurred by a growing middle class, economic growth and airport and connectivity investments,” Boeing said.

According to the CMO, the demand for air travel means airlines will need nearly 3,300 new airplanes by 2044.

“Accounting for growth and replacement, the Indian and South Asian region’s fleet will grow from 795 to 2,925 airplanes in two decades, a nearly fourfold increase over that time,” it said.

As per the CMO, Indian and South Asian airlines are also expected to expand and diversify their long-haul networks as India grows as a key hub for international passenger and cargo traffic.

“The South Asia region’s widebody fleet will more than triple by 2044 as carriers enable millions of Indian and South Asian passengers to travel to international markets including the Middle East, Europe and North America,” it added.

Further, Boeing said investment in the South Asia region’s industry will require more than USD 195 billion in aviation services, including maintenance, repair and modifications, digital services and training.

The air cargo market will be boosted by high-tech manufacturing growth in India and the increasing role of e-commerce as they increase the need for more freighter airplanes.

“The South Asia region’s fleet of new and converted freighters is expected to grow five times its current size over the next two decades to support rising air cargo demand,” Boeing said.