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The U.S.-India aerospace relationship combines a large Indian aviation market with U.S. exports, Indian manufacturing and supplier growth, maintenance services, and defense and space cooperation. In 2024, U.S. aerospace exports to India were $3.009 billion, while India’s total aerospace imports were $13.912 billion, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA). Those figures use HS Code 88, so they describe a defined trade category—not every aerospace-related product or service.
What the 2024 figures say about the market
ITA’s 2024 market indicators show both aviation demand and cross-border commercial activity. Its figures draw on sources including Indian civil aviation and commerce ministries, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and U.S. Census Bureau datasets. The aerospace trade figures specifically use HS Code 88.
| 2024 indicator | Reported figure | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. aerospace exports to India | $3.009 billion | HS Code 88; ITA |
| India’s total aerospace imports | $13.912 billion | HS Code 88; ITA |
| Passengers on domestic routes in India | 161 million | Passenger count; ITA |
| Passengers traveling between the U.S. and India | 1.78 million | Passenger count; ITA |
| U.S.-India air cargo flows | $48.244 billion | ITA-reported trade indicator |
These measures capture different things: aerospace imports and exports are trade values, passenger figures are counts, and air cargo flows are a separate trade indicator. They should not be combined into a single market-size estimate. The figures also do not establish a complete ranking of India’s aerospace segments by value. ITA’s India aerospace and defense guide provides the underlying market context.
How the relationship works across commercial aviation
Commercial aviation links aircraft and equipment exports with growing demand for passenger travel and the development of local suppliers. ITA describes India as a market where major aircraft manufacturers see opportunities both to export and to expand manufacturing partnerships with Indian suppliers, including small and medium-sized businesses.
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Boeing offers a company-specific example of local sourcing and production. On its corporate profile, accessed in 2026, Boeing reports more than 300 suppliers in India and $1.25 billion in annual sourcing from the country. It also describes an engineering and technology center in Bengaluru and a Hyderabad joint venture with Tata Advanced Systems that produces AH-64 aerostructures and 737 vertical fins. These are Boeing’s reported activities and figures, not an industry-wide measure of Indian aerospace manufacturing. Boeing’s India profile describes its operations.
Why MRO is a distinct opportunity
Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) covers work that keeps aircraft and engines in service, from component repair and inspection to scheduled maintenance. It is a potential business for U.S. exporters as well as a capability India is seeking to build. ITA identifies engine spare parts and components, workshop tools, testing and inspection equipment, auxiliary power units, and maintenance training as opportunities. The guide estimates that engines and airframes account for 60–70% of MRO value; that is the guide’s estimate, not a universal industry rule.
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India’s policy measures described by ITA include permission for 100% foreign direct investment in MRO and 2024–25 Union Budget changes. These include extended periods for exporting aircraft or parts for repair and re-importing them, and a uniform 5% goods and services tax rate on aircraft and aircraft-engine parts, replacing the 5%–28% range described in the guide. The measures are intended to support MRO activity, but do not by themselves ensure that a particular operation will be commercially viable. See ITA’s overview of India aircraft MRO opportunities for the policy and market-entry context.
For U.S. companies, the opportunity comes with practical constraints. ITA says defense procurement is tightly regulated, timelines can be long, local partners are important, and payment delays are common. Those cautions matter to commercial aviation suppliers too when assessing counterparties and project schedules; they are not a guarantee that every transaction will face the same issues.
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Defense cooperation: proposals are not completed production
The June 2023 U.S.-India joint statement documented the start of negotiations for a commercial agreement between GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture GE F414 engines in India. The leaders supported the co-production and technology-transfer proposal. The statement also recorded U.S. industry commitments to invest in Indian aircraft MRO capabilities and cooperation through the INDUS-X initiative. It establishes what was being negotiated or committed at that time; it does not establish that engine production or technology transfer has since been completed. Read the 2023 joint statement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Technology and civil-space plans
The February 2025 U.S.-India leaders’ statement announced or reaffirmed several cooperation frameworks. TRUST was presented as a means to promote critical and emerging technology cooperation, including in defense and space; INDUS Innovation was announced, and INDUS-X was reaffirmed. The statement also described civil-space collaboration plans involving NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), including the AXIOM effort and NISAR. These are announcements and plans in that statement, not evidence on their own that later milestones have been achieved. Read the February 2025 leaders’ statement.
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What businesses should take away
- Exports: The 2024 HS Code 88 figures show substantial U.S. aerospace trade with India, but they do not cover every related service or activity.
- Local supply chains: Boeing’s reported sourcing and supplier network illustrate one manufacturer’s India footprint; they should not be treated as a national localization share.
- MRO: Policy changes and identified equipment and training needs point to an opening for service providers and exporters, alongside the operational demands of entering the market.
- Defense and space: Joint statements document proposals, commitments, and frameworks. Check for later official updates before treating a stated plan as a completed capability or production milestone.
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