Washington: United States President Joe Biden announced a “historic agreement” between Air India and Boeing on Tuesday, with the Tata-owned airline purchasing 220 aircraft from the American aviation major. This is Boeing’s third biggest sale in dollar value and second biggest sale in terms of quantity.
In a statement, echoing his political plank of reviving US industry and bring jobs back home, Biden said that the US can and will lead the world on manufacturing.
“I am proud to announce today the purchase of over 200 American-made aircraft through a historic agreement between Air India and Boeing. This purchase will support over one million American jobs across 44 states and many will not require four-year college degrees,” Biden said.
The US president also cited the deal as a marker of the strengthening bilateral partnership with India. “This announcement also reflects the strength of the US-India economic partnership. Together with Prime Minister Modi, I look forward to deepening our partnership even further as we continue to confront shared global challenges – creating a more secure and prosperous future for all of our citizens.”
On Tuesday, Air India unveiled its modernisation plans with the acquisition of 250 aircraft from Airbus at a virtual ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French president Emannuel Macron. The almost simultaneous announcement of the Boeing deal makes it a record purchase. It also reflects a strategic balancing act where both France and the US, both among India’s closest partners, get a slice of the financial pie of the Indian aviation market.
