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By Nishang Narayan
Published on December 11, 2024
Air India, India’s flagship global airline, has announced an order for 100 more Airbus aircraft, comprising 10 widebody A350s and 90 narrowbody A320 Family aircraft, including the A321neo. This significant addition brings the total number of aircraft ordered from Airbus in 2023 to 350, marking a pivotal step in Air India’s ambitious transformation journey under the Tata Group.
This latest order is in addition to the 470 aircraft Air India had already committed to purchasing last year, which included 250 Airbus jets. The airline has so far received six A350s and is set to expand its fleet further to meet the growing demand in both domestic and international markets.
As part of this expansion, Air India has partnered with Airbus’ Flight Hour Services-Component (FHS-C) to support the maintenance of its A350 fleet. This collaboration will provide comprehensive engineering and integrated component services, including on-site stock at Delhi, ensuring optimal reliability and performance.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, highlighted the airline’s strategic focus:
“With India’s passenger growth outpacing the rest of the world, its significantly improving infrastructure, and an aspirational young population increasingly going global, we see a clear case for Air India to expand its future fleet. These additional 100 Airbus aircraft will help position Air India on the path to greater growth and contribute to our mission of building Air India into a world-class airline that connects India to every corner of the world.”
Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership:
“I am glad to see Air India renew its trust in Airbus with this additional order. Through this continued partnership, we are committed to supporting the success of Air India's 'Vihaan.AI' transformation plan under Tata's vision and leadership.”
Air India is the first Indian airline to operate the Airbus A350, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, renowned for their exceptional fuel efficiency, long-range capabilities, and passenger comfort. The A350s have already enhanced Air India’s non-stop flights from Delhi to London and New York, delivering a redefined flying experience.
Meanwhile, the A320 Family, powered by CFM LEAP 1-A engines, continues to serve as the backbone of Air India’s domestic and short-haul operations, providing operational efficiency and world-class service to millions of customers.
This landmark fleet expansion underscores Air India’s commitment to meeting the aspirations of modern Indian travelers while positioning itself as a world-class global airline. With 344 new Airbus aircraft and additional Boeing jets in the pipeline, Air India is poised to redefine the future of aviation in India.
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Published on February 6, 2025
Israel’s Minister of Tourism, Haim Katz, wrapped up a pivotal visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral tourism ties and engaging with key industry players. The visit featured multi-city networking events, high-profile meetings, and Israel’s strong presence at OTM 2025, reinforcing Israel’s commitment to boosting tourism from India.
During his visit, Minister Katz met with India’s Minister of Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, to discuss enhancing cooperation between the two nations. They explored ways to leverage the deep historical and cultural connections shared by India and Israel.
The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) delegation, including Ambassador Peleg Lewi, Foreign Affairs Advisor, and Hassan Madah, International Marketing Director, IMOT, also met with Air India CEO Campbell Wilson. The discussions focused on improving air connectivity and creating seamless travel opportunities for Indian tourists heading to Israel.
Israel made a strong impression at OTM 2025, one of India’s largest travel trade exhibitions, held at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. Minister Katz inaugurated the event, addressing a distinguished audience of travel professionals, tourism stakeholders, and media representatives.
Speaking at the event, Minister Katz emphasized,"India is a critical market for us, and we are committed to deepening our engagement with the Indian travel trade. With the launch of the e-Visa system and our continued presence at key exhibitions, we are confident of achieving new milestones in 2025."
Israel’s pavilion at OTM stood out, winning the Best Booth Decoration Award for its visually engaging and interactive showcase of the destination.
IMOT hosted exclusive networking evenings in Delhi and Mumbai, bringing together travel associations, industry leaders, and OTAs. These events facilitated discussions on collaborative strategies to position Israel as a preferred destination for Indian travelers.
"We witnessed a surge in the number of Indian travelers visiting Israel in 2024, which presents the right moment for us to promote the destination. We want to ensure that Israel is safe and welcoming to tourists. We urge Indian travelers to experience our country in a more holistic way," Minister Katz stated.
Despite geopolitical challenges, India remained a strong source market for Israel in 2024, with 9,600 Indian tourists visiting between January and December.
With the recent ceasefire announcement and Air India resuming flights to Israel from March 2025, tourist arrivals are expected to rise significantly. In total, Israel welcomed 961,700 global tourists in 2024.
To make travel easier, Israel has launched a new e-Visa system for Indian tourists, particularly families and multi-generational travelers. This digital service simplifies the application process and integrates with Israel’s Entry Travel Authorization (ETA) system.
Indian travelers can apply through the official portal:
www.gov.il/en/departments/topics/eta-il/govil-landing-page
More information on e-visas: israel-entry.piba.gov.il
While group visa applications will continue via existing channels, the pilot phase is exclusively for Indian citizens, with plans for global expansion.
A Bright Future for India-Israel Tourism
Minister Katz’s visit reinforced Israel’s long-term vision for the Indian market. IMOT’s roadmap for 2025 includes:
✅ Trade & media outreach
✅ Participation in major trade shows
✅ Experiential events across India
✅ Promotions in tier-II cities
✅ Showcasing Israel as a year-round destination
With enhanced connectivity, a simplified visa process, and strategic marketing initiatives, India-Israel tourism is set to reach new heights in 2025.
Published on February 5, 2025
The Mahakumbh Mela 2025, currently underway in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is the world’s largest spiritual congregation, deeply rooted in Hindu traditions. Beyond its religious and cultural significance, the Maha Kumbh is playing a pivotal role in driving India's spiritual tourism sector, attracting millions of visitors and generating substantial economic activity.
Authorities project that Mahakumbh 2025 will welcome over 400 million pilgrims, including a growing number of international visitors. By January 19, 2025, over 73 million people had already attended. In response to this unprecedented scale, the Uttar Pradesh government has allocated ₹7,500 crore for infrastructure upgrades, a sharp increase from the ₹4,200 crore spent in 2019. The event is expected to generate ₹2 lakh crore in direct revenue, with total transactions projected between ₹2–4 lakh crore, contributing over 1% to India’s GDP.
The economic impact of the Maha Kumbh extends across multiple industries, particularly in travel, hospitality, and local businesses. With surging domestic and international travel bookings, airlines, railways, and private transport operators are witnessing unprecedented demand.
Gopal Krishna Agarwal, National Spokesperson of BJP for Economic Affairs, highlights the broader impact:
"Maha Kumbh's spiritual significance is attracting global attention, fostering greater interest in India as a travel destination. Besides its religious importance, Maha Kumbh serves as an economic catalyst, transforming various sectors of India. It's a massive economic and cultural phenomenon, generating multi-billion rupees worth of economic activity and empowering local businesses. In addition, the government's tireless efforts ensure Maha Kumbh creates a ripple effect on global interest in India's spiritual tourism potential. Further, initiatives like the Maitri Bodh Cultural Economic Summit align with this phenomenon, fostering collaboration between culture and economy, showcasing India's economic strength rooted in our heritage."
The hospitality industry is a key beneficiary of the Maha Kumbh, with the event extending beyond Prayagraj into cities like Varanasi, Lucknow, and Kanpur, driving an increased demand for hotels, transport, and tourism services. Many visitors are extending their trips to explore historical and cultural sites, leading to a significant rise in bookings.
Ambika Saxena, CEO of TWH Hospitality, emphasizes this shift:
"Maha Kumbh is not just a spiritual gathering but a transformative economic force reshaping India's hospitality and tourism landscape. The unprecedented influx of domestic and international visitors is driving an unparalleled demand for accommodations, transport, and hospitality services, creating immense opportunities for innovation and investment. This event exemplifies how cultural heritage can be a powerful engine of economic growth, reinforcing India's position as a global tourism powerhouse. We see this as more than just an opportunity. It is a responsibility to elevate India's global standing and redefine the future of spiritual tourism."
Mahakumbh 2025 is a unifying force, seamlessly blending faith with commerce and driving long-term economic growth. The sheer scale of the event and the government’s investment in infrastructure reinforce India’s position as a leading destination for spiritual and cultural tourism. With millions of visitors and sustained global interest, the Maha Kumbh is set to further strengthen India’s status as a premier spiritual tourism hub, attracting both religious travelers and cultural enthusiasts for years to come.
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