Airbus SE has urged the aviation industry to enhance its safety culture following a tragic Air India crash involving a Boeing 787, underscoring the incident as a critical wake-up call rather than a competitive advantage.

Following the devastating Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed nearly 300 lives, Airbus emphasized that safety trumps competition. Christian Scherer, Airbus CCO, stated the tragedy is a reminder of aviation's inherent risks and the industry's commitment to preventing future accidents.

India's Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has, meanwhile, formed a High-Level Multi-disciplinary Committee, headed by the Union Home Secretary, to examine the causes leading to the crash of Air India Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London) on June 12, 2025.

Airbus SE predicted the global commercial aircraft fleet will double in size to almost 50,000 planes over the next 20 years, spurred by rapid growth in markets like India, where a rising middle class increasingly takes to air travel.

The plane manufacturer said that the growth in air travel will require 43,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years.

India has emerged as a significant player in the global aircraft market. Since 2023, Air India has ordered 570 aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing. Meanwhile, IndiGo has ordered over 900 Airbus planes, which now includes an additional acquisition of 60 A350 widebody jets.

In those talks, Boeing is edging forward as the front-runner to sell more of its 777X jets, two of the sources said.

Air India, in its current form, has maintained a more balanced fleet, having taken delivery of 122 Boeing aircraft and 114 Airbus planes between 2006 and 2025