Giant markets, giant potential – how does India’s air travel development compare with China’s?

India has become one of the hottest markets for aircraft manufacturers as airlines place hundreds of new orders to support growth plans based on India's vast untapped demand for air travel. The country will soon have the world's largest population, yet it is also relatively underserved in terms of airline capacity.

Lured by this dynamic, India's airlines have collectively placed significantly more orders than the current fleet size.

Comparing India with China is an interesting exercise, as they now have very similar population sizes, and are both fast growing aviation markets. But China currently has a far greater air service market penetration, which highlights the scope of the potential in India.

This analysis examines some of the similarities and differences between the world's two largest markets. China has more passenger traffic, but India's rate of growth has been at least as high over the past decade. And while China also has a much larger fleet, order numbers are fairly similar.