Boeing forecasts major sales in India

India’s expanding aviation sector will require 1,150 commercial jets valued at USD$130 billion over the next 20 years, a Boeing executive said on Tuesday. Dinesh Keskar, the head of Boeing’s operations in India, said with more private carriers entering the aviation sector the demand for aircraft was increasing. “This is a market representing more than 4 percent of Boeing commercial airplanes’ worldwide forecast,” he told reporters. In 2009, the firm had said India would require 1,000 planes worth USD$100 billion over 20 years. “We went through the deepest recession in the history of aviation but now India’s recovery is one of the fastest,” Keskar said. “We believe there will be a record 50 million passengers this year if the trend continues,” he said. Indian airlines carried 44 million passengers in 2009. (Reuters)