Airbus predicts that the number of aircraft worldwide will double in the next 20 years, with India becoming the growth engine

According to the Zhitong Finance APP, Airbus predicts that driven by rapid growth in markets such as India, the global commercial aircraft fleet will double in the next 20 years, reaching nearly 50,000 aircraft. In India, the growing middle class is increasingly choosing air travel. According to Airbus's latest global market forecast, by 2044, the global active fleet will increase by 24,480 aircraft, reaching 49,210 aircraft, which includes both Airbus's own aircraft and those from competitors like Boeing (BA.US). Airbus stated that most of the growth will come from single-aisle aircraft such as the Airbus A320 series or Boeing 737, which are the mainstay of many airlines' fleets. The aircraft manufacturer stated that in the next 20 years, the domestic aviation network in India will become the fastest-growing aviation market, while China will become the largest market in terms of capacity. Globally, Airbus expects long-term passenger traffic to grow at an annual rate of 3.6%, with passenger traffic to the Middle East becoming another major growth driver. Commercial aircraft are among the industrial products with the longest cycles, allowing Airbus and Boeing to gain insights into travel trends for decades to come. As Airbus releases its latest outlook, tense global trade negotiations may complicate the transportation of aircraft and their components, potentially affecting aircraft production and delivery volumes. Nevertheless, Airbus stated that despite the uncertainty caused by global tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which prompted consumers to control spending and forced some airlines to adopt a pessimistic outlook for the remainder of the year, airlines have not stopped purchasing new models. Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus's commercial aircraft division, stated, "Apart from the U.S. domestic market, we have not seen a fundamental shift in customer demand. We see continued interest and demand for our products in the market." Although the supply chain disruptions formed during the pandemic are gradually easing, Airbus stated that some components are still in short supply. Scherer noted that its flagship model A320neo is lacking engines from CFM International, and the flagship A350 long-haul passenger aircraft is also short of restrooms, which are hindering aircraft deliveries. India has already become the world's third-largest domestic aviation market, and the growth of the affluent population makes this country, with a population of over 1.4 billion, a key driver of future aircraft demand. At the International Air Transport Association's annual conference held in New Delhi this month, domestic and international airlines announced a series of initiatives aimed at launching or increasing flights to and from this South Asian country. India has become a major buyer of aircraft. Since 2023, Indian airlines have ordered 570 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. The low-cost airline IndiGo has ordered over 900 Airbus aircraft, including a recent expansion of 60 A350 wide-body aircraft