European aircraft manufacturer ATR eager to sell 300 turboprops in India in next 10 years

European aircraft manufacturer ATR is excited about business opportunities in India. ATR is in talks with various operators and airlines to explore selling its aircraft in India. Looking at the growth prospects of the Indian market, a senior ATR official said that he hopes to have 300 more turboprops in the country in the next 10 years.

ATR, a joint venture company of Airbus and Leonardo, manufactures 78-seat turboprop aircraft and cargo aircraft. Currently, there are 70 ATR aircraft in the country, which are operated by airlines and operators like IndiGo, Alliance Air, and Fly91. The company's Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific Region, Jean-Pierre Clarsisn, recently visited Delhi. During this, he said that the company is in talks with scheduled and non-scheduled operators, including operators already flying ATR aircraft.

India is one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world, and the number of airports as well as regional air connectivity is increasing here. Efforts are being made to set up 50 more airports in the country in the next five years. Currently, more than 160 airports are operational in India. Clarsin said that India is likely to have 300 more turboprop aircraft in the next 10 years.

ATR has sold 1,800 aircraft to 200 operators in 100 countries. Regarding tariff uncertainties, Clarsin said that no one can say what the result will be. He said, We are trying to keep the prices low. He said that for a domestic market like India, where there are many short routes, which can be reached in an hour, operators will need a cheap product like ATR aircraft.