Delhi : Carriers in India and South Asia will require nearly 3,300 new aircraft over the next two decades as passenger air traffic in the region is projected to grow at an average of seven percent annually, said Boeing in its Commercial Market Outlook for South Asia.

The surge in demand will see the region's total aircraft fleet grow from 795 planes currently to about 2,925 by 2044, accounting for both new additions and replacement of older aircraft.

Single-aisle aircraft are expected to dominate this expansion, accounting for nearly 90 percent of all new deliveries.

Boeing expects the region's widebody aircraft fleet to more than triple by 2044, supporting increased travel to destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

Boeing said growth in high-tech manufacturing in India, along with the expanding role of e-commerce, will drive the need for more freight aircraft. The region's fleet of new and converted freighters is expected to grow five times its current size over the next 20 years to support rising air cargo volumes.

Between 2025 and 2044, Boeing estimates deliveries of around 2,875 single-aisle aircraft, 395 widebody jets, about 20 freighters, and fewer than 10 regional jets to airlines in India and South Asia, taking total deliveries to approximately 3,290 aircraft.

Boeing said the aviation industry in India and South Asia will need more than USD 195 billion in aviation services such as maintenance, repair and modification, digital services, and training over the next two decades.

The sector is also expected to require around 141,000 new aviation professionals, including about 45,000 pilots, 45,000 technicians and 51,000 cabin crew.