Indian budget carrier IndiGo is stepping up to the long-haul sector with an agreement to order up to 100 Airbus A350-900s, deliveries of which will commence in 2027.
Thirty of the aircraft will be firm, and the carrier is taking purchase rights on another 70.
The airline is already a strong Airbus customer, having ordered more than 1,300 single-aisle jets, but the A350 marks a substantial shift in its strategy.
“IndiGo has been successfully building its position and is now defining its future further on the path of becoming a global aviation player,” the carrier states.
“From the various Indian metros, IndiGo will be able to connect to the world.”
The airline has yet to indicate routes or a configuration for the aircraft, which are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.
But it says the A350 will offer “unprecedented optionality” to the airline.
“IndiGo is amongst the fastest-growing airlines in the world, and this order will allow it to strengthen its growth trajectory,” it states.
The Indian government is aiming to develop the country as a global aviation hub by the end of the decade.
IndiGo says its combined single-aisle and long-haul orders will mean it is “well-positioned” to “expand and densify” its network.
Chief executive Pieter Elbers says the agreement will “shape the future of the airline and Indian aviation at the same time”.
