Air India, controlled by the industrial conglomerate Tata Group, is ready to purchase about 500 aircraft produced by Airbus and Boeing. The deal has an estimated value that could exceed 100 billion dollars at list prices, including any options. It would thus be among the largest orders in the history of air transport in terms of number of airplanes.

In particular, the orders foresee up to 400 narrow-body aircraft and 100 or more wide-body ones. Among the models chosen there are almost certainly A-350 and B-787 and B-777. The agreement with the two main aircraft manufacturers could be finalized in the next few days. The purchase of medium-haul A-321neos, which would not be delivered before 2028, is more difficult.

Rumors about the imminent order started circulating some time ago, but the sale seems imminent, just a few days after the announcement by the Tata Group, which communicated the merger of Air India with the airline Vistara (a joint-venture with Singapore Airlines), to create a larger air carrier and strengthen its presence in national and international skies.