IndiGo in Talks to Buy 100 Embraer Regional Jets, Sources Say

India's largest airline, IndiGo, is in talks to buy 100 Embraer regional jets, the people said. They said the aircraft model has not been finalized and the quantity could change. Any deliveries would likely begin from 2030 at the earliest, two of the people said.

IndiGo and Embraer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Key details

• Embraer E175-E1 jets seat up to 88 passengers. The E190-E2 seats up to 114 and the E195-E2 seats up to 146.
• Embraer signed a non-binding pact this year with Adani Defence & Aerospace to explore a final assembly line in India for older-generation E175-E1 jets.
• Embraer Chief Executive Francisco Gomes Neto told Reuters in March that the India assembly-line plan hinged on orders for at least 200 aircraft, and that jets assembled in India could be delivered from 2028 if orders were secured by the end of this year.
• IndiGo Chief Executive Willie Walsh, who took charge in August, has said the airline plans to grow its fleet to around 600 aircraft by 2030 from 442 as of September. Its fleet is mostly Airbus narrowbody jets and includes 44 ATR turboprops.

The discussions are at an early stage and a deal is not guaranteed.

Why it matters

IndiGo does not operate Embraer aircraft today. Star Air is currently the only Indian airline flying Embraer jets. Embraer has been marketing those jets in India, the world's third-largest domestic aviation market.