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.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

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.

Aap ke mukh mei ghee-shakkar.
Hope this works out.

Because what we need right now is not a world-beater, but an alternative.

Nobody has seen which way the camel of geopolitics will turn to in a decade or two.
Having an alternative, however barebone, to service our civil aviation in the face of sanctions, gives us a diplomatic lever like no other.

Then, there is always an option of utilizing civil aircrafts for military uses.

 

[Rajesh]

Missed opportunity for china and their paid Stooges in india.

 

[LookingBack]

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.

This might be the worst plane ever produced, this might be accident prone, this might be expensive to maintain. If we assume all r true, can't we accept that chin@ has tried their level best to over come their incapabilities?
What are we doing? We kept quiet for 70yrs when our babu(s) were begging for technologies. When this govt. started to rectify old attitude, we started blaming MOD.

 

[Indeevar Sharma]

"Missed opportunity for Both sides" - what a rubbish. A 100% paid article by China. No one here in India is interested in this Chinese junk. 1st of all, they hv to prove that C919 is safe, and this itself might take years. Even Russians could not compete with Boeing & Airbus. Chinese are dreaming of selling this junk using Imported Engines.

 

[Argyl1]

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.

Hopefully you will get it in the next 50 years.

 

[amerjit johal]

Comac have advanced orders for approx 1000 planes. This will take many years to fulfill.
Why should they be concered about the India market?