India‘s Akasa Air said on Thursday, January 18, it had ordered 150 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody planes, showcasing its confidence in the troubled planemaker as the budget carrier seeks to fly to more destinations at home and abroad. This is the first major order announcement for Boeing’s MAX jetliner programme since a mid-air cabin panel blowout in the United States early this month, although Akasa’s order does not include the 737 Max 9 version which is in the spotlight after the incident.
The order was announced at the “Wings India” air show in the southern city of Hyderabad, which has attracted planemakers, airlines and government officials as they make the most of India’s travel boom, with a greater focus on international routes. “We feel very confident about the aircraft type that we have … even seeing Boeing’s commitment to the way they’ve handled this problem,” Priya Mehra, Akasa’s chief legal, regulatory and strategic relations officer, said. Akasa’s order for 737 MAX 10 and MAX 8-200 does not include the MAX 9 version, which has been largely grounded over the Alaska Airlines cabin panel blowout incident. Mehra said the airline was not looking at diversifying its fleet. Source: Reuters
India to grow at 7% in FY25: RBI
Indian economy should record a growth rate of 7% in the next fiscal and inflation is likely to ease further, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Wednesday, January 17.
He also credited the government for structural reforms undertaken in recent years, saying they have boosted the medium and long-term growth prospects of the Indian economy. He said amid a challenging global macroeconomic environment, India presents a picture of growth and stability. Speaking at a CII session on ‘High growth, low risk: The India story’ here during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, Das said recent information on the global economic front has been reassuring with inflation falling, though growth remains low.