In New Delhi, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu met with top leaders from Airbus and IndiGo at a lively reception. The event spotlighted the booming India aviation growth, the Make in India push, and steps toward sustainable aviation.
Jaishankar shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), saying he enjoyed chatting with Airbus’s board and IndiGo’s senior team alongside his colleague Kinjarapu. “Had a fruitful interaction on infrastructure, economic and governance transformations underway in India as well as growing India-Europe connect,” he posted. “And the opportunities they enable for growth of India civil aviation sector.”
Kinjarapu welcomed the Airbus team warmly. “It is always exciting to engage with such a visionary leadership team,” he said. He praised India’s strong ties with Airbus and their dedication to the civil aviation sector. He also thanked IndiGo for hosting the evening and opening doors for deeper India-Airbus partnerships.
Highlighting India’s global image, Kinjarapu called the country “Vishwa Bandhu”—a trusted world partner. “When the world thinks of India, it thinks of trust. When the world thinks of India, it thinks of talent. When the world thinks of India, it thinks of technology.”
He pointed to impressive numbers in India aviation growth. Passenger traffic at Indian airports has more than doubled since 2014, jumping from 110 million to 250 million in 2025. Experts predict it will double again to 500 million by 2030. Airlines have doubled their fleet over the last 11 years and placed record orders. Looking ahead, India’s aircraft fleet could grow to 3,500 to 4,000 planes in the next 20 years.
On manufacturing, Kinjarapu tied it to Make in India. “When you Make in India, you Make for the World,” he noted. Airbus already sources over $1.2 billion in components and services from India each year. He expects big growth from key projects like the made-in-India C295 plane, H125 helicopter, and H130 fuselages.
Kinjarapu recalled his recent visit to Airbus’s facility in Montreal. Even far from home, it felt familiar—eight doors for the A220 family aircraft are now made in India by Dynamitic. “I believe such contracts are significant as they create a huge downstream value chain opportunity for other Indian suppliers.”
Sustainability took center stage too. Kinjarapu commended IndiGo’s work with Airbus on greener flying. Nearly 80% of IndiGo’s fleet uses the fuel-efficient A320neo family, which saves 15-20% on fuel. “IndiGo is truly connecting places in a mindful and sustainable manner,” he said.
He pushed Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as a quick win for cleaner skies. By 2040, India could produce 8-10 million tons of SAF yearly, positioning itself as a global leader in production and exports.
Wrapping up, Kinjarapu urged partners to join India’s rise. “India is the right place, this is the right time and it is the right opportunity to be part of India growth story.” He thanked IndiGo for embodying “Atithi Devo Bhava”—treating guests like gods—and praised Jaishankar’s presence. “I believe your address today will further encourage global stakeholders to contribute to Mission Manufacturing led by PM Modi.”
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