Airbus pledges deeper industrial ties with India

Airbus plans to deepen its industrial presence in India, Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said on Wednesday after meeting the country's prime minister. "We will continue to support civil aviation growth and deepen our industrial footprint in India," Faury said on Twitter alongside a photograph of his meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He did not provide further details. Faury's comments on industrial presence come as India is increasingly involved in the civil supply chain. A senior Boeing official told ET Infra in September that India had shown resilience during the pandemic and that Boeing and other companies would make increased use of its suppliers. The meeting between the world's largest civil planemaker and the leader of the world's fastest growing airline market also coincides with a potentially huge Air India jet purchase, though industry sources said this was not the main focus of the visit. Air India is in the advanced stages of negotiating a major fleet renewal and expansion under new owner Tata Group that industry sources say could involve 250 Airbus jets including 200-210 A320neo-family jets and over three dozen A350s. Airbus also hopes to secure a new home at Air India for six A350s originally earmarked for Russia's Aeroflot, though it remains unclear whether these are included in the main order.<br/>