The Civil Aviation Ministry is encouraging budget carriers to induct widebody planes in order to become an international hub, Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal said on March 21. Speaking on the sidelines of the CAPA India Aviation Summit in Delhi to CNBC-TV18, Bansal said IndiGo showed interest and the government has given the airline approval for wet leasing.
In December 2022, IndiGo sought the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) approval to wet lease Boeing 777 aircraft, which will be utilised for operating flights on the Delhi-Istanbul route.
This is the first time that the carrier will induct wide-body planes into its fleet and the move also comes against the backdrop of global supply chain issues impacting aircraft deliveries. The airline will wet-lease two aircraft.
Reflecting on aircraft manufacturing in India and domestic sourcing for Air India’s aircraft order, Aviation Secretary said not much aircraft or airframe manufacturing is happening in India except for certain components. He noted that Airframe manufacturing is a much bigger issue
Bansal said Collins Aerospace has set up a facility in Bengaluru to make emergency suits that fall down during evacuation. Some avionics components are also being made in Bengaluru.
Boeing, on the other hand, is making tailfin of its aircraft in India, he said, adding that only a small percentage of manufacturing is being done domestically as big OEMs already have manufacturing facilities in place globally.
He believes it is tall ask to tell these OEMs to move manufacturing setups to India overnight as a manufacturing ecosystem develops over a period of time. Bansal asserted that OEMs would want to set up plants in India when the volumes are high and that engine makers will be the first ones to set up shops in the country.
SOURCE – CNBCTV18.com By Madeeha Mujawar | Kanishka Sarkar / click to read full news at the source
