Air India plans to buy more widebody aircraft to expand international network

On November 4, 2026, Air India CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said the company is in talks with Airbus and Boeing to purchase additional widebody aircraft in order to expand its international route network and win back market share from foreign airlines. He said Air India currently has 600 confirmed orders, of which 80 are widebody aircraft, but its international expansion ambitions require more capacity. The company is also rethinking its hub strategy, shifting more focus to Europe. The additional purchase is still in the negotiation stage; the aircraft type, quantity, amount and delivery time have not been announced.