‘Bullish on Indian market’: European plane maker ATR eyes expansion in India; in talks with airlines
NEW DELHI: European aircraft manufacturer ATR is exploring business opportunities in India and is in talks with both scheduled and non-scheduled carriers to sell its aircraft.Given India’s market growth potential, a senior ATR executive said it expects 300 additional turboprops operating in the country in the next 10 years.ATR remains “very bullish” on the Indian market and is actively engaged in talks with some of the operators, the company’s Asia Pacific head Jean-Pierre Clercin told news agency PTI.He projected that India could accommodate 300 more turboprop aircraft over the next 10 years.While he didn’t share specific details, he confirmed ongoing discussions with both scheduled and non-scheduled carriers, including current ATR operators.ATR, a joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo, builds turboprop aircraft that seat up to 78 passengers and also offers freighter versions. ATR’s global presence includes 1,800 aircraft delivered to 200 operators across 100 countries.Currently, around 70 ATR aircraft are in service across India, operated by airlines like IndiGo, Alliance Air, and FLY91.India, one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, is witnessing rapid expansion in both the number of airports and regional air connectivity. Currently home to over 160 operational airports, the country plans to add 50 more in the next five years.“We are keen on exploring further ties in India,” Clercin said, adding that the company is also looking at academic partnerships with universities.Regarding tariff uncertainties, Clercin acknowledged the unpredictable nature of outcomes. “We are trying to, of course, not impose higher pricing, unrealistic pricing to our airlines. But the good thing is, with our platform, we have the most cost-effective platform from an operating cost point of view of the regional market,” he noted.For a domestic market with many short routes under an hour, ATR aircraft offer a cost-effective solution, making them ideal for such operations, he added.
