China's C919 Jet Targets Asian Markets, India's Potential Left Untapped

China's ambitious foray into passenger jet manufacturing, the C919, is turning heads in the aviation industry. Developed by the state-owned Commercial Aviation Corporation of China (COMAC), the C919 has already secured around 1,200 orders, largely from domestic carriers. However, its path to global success may face a barrier in the world's fastest-growing aviation market: India.

Leaked internal documents reveal COMAC's plans for aggressive promotion of the C919 across Asia, seeking to tap into the region's expanding air travel demand. Designed to rival industry giants like the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX, the C919 presents a new option for airlines seeking single-aisle aircraft.

Intriguingly, India appears excluded from COMAC's immediate marketing strategy. This decision likely has roots in the continued border tensions between the two countries. Obtaining a type certificate from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a crucial step for aircraft operation in the country, might be seen as a challenge amidst the fraught political climate.

The C919's absence from India could be a lost opportunity. India's aviation sector holds immense potential for aircraft manufacturers, and conversely, Indian airlines could find value in the C919. The future may hold a possibility for the C919 entering Indian airspace, contingent upon evolving political dynamics.

While COMAC's current Asian market focus is understandable, the C919's long-term success may hinge upon its penetration into major aviation hubs like India. Whether the political landscape will change favorably for the C919 in India remains uncertain.

 

[Kira]

Political issues aside,commercial aircraft operators think long term and take into account issues such as maintenance and pilot training requirements and given that these have been pretty much the domain of Western nations,I don't Chinese or Russian aircraft have any real chance in the Indian civilian market to begin with.

 

[Anant]

These idiots can take their aircraft and stick it.

Due to the proliferation of Airbus, Boeing, ATR, and to a far lesser extent, Embraer in India, you are simply fly going to see Russian or Chinese jets here due to economies of scale in operation.

 

[INDIAN]

And here in India , we are happy to as a agricultural based lower class economy .

 

[beencensured]

Political issues aside,commercial aircraft operators think long term and take into account issues such as maintenance and pilot training requirements and given that these have been pretty much the domain of Western nations,I don't Chinese or Russian aircraft have any real chance in the Indian civilian market to begin with.

Indian aircraft have lesser chance as only love of white elephants exist and no desire to develop. The country is shameless ten years and RTA has not gone beyond papper proposal. These other countries have faith in themselves. Shameless don't.

 

[Akshat]

Indian aircraft have lesser chance as only love of white elephants exist and no desire to develop. The country is shameless ten years and RTA has not gone beyond papper proposal. These other countries have faith in themselves. Shameless don't.

That’s what socialism does to you.

 

[SK]

This is a good opportunity for Indian-Govt to encourage Airbus & Embraer to form JVs with Indian-companies to manufacture these Aircraft in India:-

1. Airbus A330
2. Airbus A320
3. Embraer E-Jet family
4. Embraer E-2 Jet Family

There should be specia discounts or tax benefits on Indian Airlines buying Aircraft that are manufactured in India.

The above Aircraft production in India can prepare the Indian Aerospace industry to eventually Manufacture Indigenously designed & manufactured Aircraft.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

What missed opportunity? We ain't missing it. Comac first flight was rumored to have suffered catastrophic faliure and was switched with some other aircraft supposedly as per certain reports. Had it succeeded China would have already gone on a propaganda overdrive to pitch the platform worldwide at all airshow. The fact that they did no such thing suggests there arenseverL conspicuous outstanding issues with respect to reliability, efficiency and more importantly safety.

Finally with the western engines now cutoff, the aircraft will have to rely on their domestic engines whose tealibility is even worse than Russian engines.While they did try to get the technology for Russian high bypass engines Russians refused and pulled out of joint development. Now they are buying older generation Russian engines and are planning to switch with domestic engines. 🙄

 

[SuvarPakisareHomos]

Thanks but NO THANKS......we would not even consider any made in China junk....buzz off!!!

 

[beencensured]

That’s what socialism does to you.

You are worst then a colonalist.

 

[Ragu]

That’s what socialism does to you.

Absolutely lost decades of socialism nehru socialism era hindered progress of civil aircrafts ambitions

 

[Akshat]

You are worst then a colonalist.

Aww

 

[Bhishma]

who in their right mind would want to buy this chinese junk ? Even Nigeria wants to get rid of their JF17 inventory

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

What missed opportunity? We ain't missing it. Comac first flight was rumored to have suffered catastrophic faliure and was switched with some other aircraft supposedly as per certain reports. Had it succeeded China would have already gone on a propaganda overdrive to pitch the platform worldwide at all airshow. The fact that they did no such thing suggests there arenseverL conspicuous outstanding issues with respect to reliability, efficiency and more importantly safety.

Finally with the western engines now cutoff, the aircraft will have to rely on their domestic engines whose tealibility is even worse than Russian engines.While they did try to get the technology for Russian high bypass engines Russians refused and pulled out of joint development. Now they are buying older generation Russian engines and are planning to switch with domestic engines. 🙄

Its not as much a missed opportunity for Indian market (for now) but it definitely points to the fact that Indian manufacturing did miss another bus(plane?) as we do not have anything similar even in the conceptual phase with a serious Indian aeronautical corporation ( not counting NAL. NAL is not serious, NAL is a retirement yard).

10 years from now, when China will be optimizing its assembly line to roll out improved version of COMAC C919, we will still have to stay content with articles like these about how C919 is irrelevant for the Indian market. As a nation, we seriously need to introspect our manufacturing capabilities.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Thanks but NO THANKS......we would not even consider any made in China junk....buzz off!!!

Ain't it ironic, almost 90% of the mobiles we use and over 80% of components that go into laptops and accessories are direct import from China.

In the face of hard facts, doesn't our claim of not even considering any made in China Junk sound enpty & hollow?

 

[Sandeep]

India doesn't even want any Chinese planes at all so India isn't losing anything but gaining in not having a problematic, expensive up keep and maintenance plane. India is developing its own indigenous plane anyway so we don't want any unfair, corrupt or pro Chinese plane entering our market and capitalising on our money.

 

[Puneet]

Buying cheap ( quality and price) chinese products will affect the development of Indian products. Chinese are anti India and should be shunned.

 

[Maximum Frisk]

Ain't it ironic, almost 90% of the mobiles we use and over 80% of components that go into laptops and accessories are direct import from China.

In the face of hard facts, doesn't our claim of not even considering any made in China Junk sound enpty & hollow?

Just because something is manufactured in some country doesn't mean that the technology behind it is also manufactured. The Western companies only use cheap chinese labor to get their products manufactured their. And Chinese sometimes copy/reverse engineer and produce their half assed technology.

 

[Pad UwU]

It's okay Chinese manufacturer knows they won't get any orders here anyway...😹

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Its not as much a missed opportunity for Indian market (for now) but it definitely points to the fact that Indian manufacturing did miss another bus(plane?) as we do not have anything similar even in the conceptual phase with a serious Indian aeronautical corporation ( not counting NAL. NAL is not serious, NAL is a retirement yard).

10 years from now, when China will be optimizing its assembly line to roll out improved version of COMAC C919, we will still have to stay content with articles like these about how C919 is irrelevant for the Indian market. As a nation, we seriously need to introspect our manufacturing capabilities.

Not yet, bit TATA is in planning to acquire IP rights for some canceled regional transport aircraft. So the prospects for an Indian assembled RTA may not be so bleak.

If nothing else, TATA is likely to partner with Embraer to jointly Co produce E2 within the country.