The Farnborough Airshow is ongoing at the moment, having started off yesterday, and all the big-bang announcements seem to be already out of the way. One of those was IndiGo, which announced an engine deal for its aircraft, the order for which was signed at the last Paris Airshow (2023). Both shows alternate, with the last Paris Airshow held in 2025.
IndiGo’s record deal with CFM for over 1000 engines
IndiGo has added another milestone to what has already been an unprecedented aircraft and engine buying spree. At the Farnborough Airshow 2026, India’s largest airline signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CFM International for more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines, making it the largest single order ever placed for LEAP engines and the biggest order in CFM International’s history.
The engines will power 510 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft that are due to join the IndiGo fleet over the coming years. The agreement also extends well beyond just supplying engines. CFM will support IndiGo in setting up its upcoming engine Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India while also entering into a long-term material services agreement that covers spare parts support and aftermarket services.
For IndiGo, this isn’t merely another large purchase. It is another piece of the puzzle as the airline transforms itself from being India’s largest domestic carrier into a global airline with one of the biggest narrowbody fleets in the world.
Another record for IndiGo
IndiGo has become accustomed to breaking records over the past few years. The airline already holds the distinction of placing the world’s largest aircraft order, and this latest agreement continues that trend – this time on the engine side. In 2019, IndiGo and CFM signed a similar deal for 600+ engines for 310 Airbus A320 family aircraft.
The airline currently operates more than 430 aircraft and flies over 2,200 daily departures across more than 140 destinations in India and the region (mostly). However, its orderbook remains even more remarkable, with close to 1,000 aircraft still awaiting delivery over the next decade. Those aircraft will require engines, spares, maintenance support and overhaul capacity, making this agreement a necessity rather than just another procurement exercise.
IndiGo’s Rahul Bhatia and CEO-Designate Willie Walsh with CFM executives at Farnborough.
The LEAP-1A engine is the exclusive powerplant option chosen by IndiGo for these Airbus A320neo-family aircraft. While airlines often split engine choices between manufacturers, IndiGo has steadily deepened its relationship with CFM over the past decade, given the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines did not perform very well and continued to run into trouble every now and then with various issues developing, necessitating the aircraft to stay on the ground rather than in the air.
That relationship with CFM began with CFM56-powered Airbus A320ceo aircraft before expanding in 2019 when IndiGo selected LEAP-1A engines for its growing Airbus A320neo and A321neo fleet. Today, more than 375 IndiGo aircraft are already powered by LEAP engines, and this latest order cements that partnership well into the next decade.
The MRO angle is just as important
While the headline naturally belongs to the four-digit engine order, perhaps the more significant long-term development is the creation of domestic engine maintenance capability. The agreement includes CFM’s support in establishing IndiGo’s upcoming engine MRO facility in India, alongside long-term supply of spare parts and materials. That becomes increasingly important as IndiGo’s fleet grows and as airlines worldwide continue to grapple with engine maintenance capacity constraints.
The aviation industry has spent the past few years dealing with shortages of shop visit capacity, spare engines and replacement parts. Several airlines—including IndiGo itself—have had aircraft grounded because engines needed repairs that could not be completed quickly enough.
By bringing more maintenance capability closer to home, IndiGo should eventually gain greater control over turnaround times while reducing dependence on overseas facilities. It also aligns neatly with India’s broader ambition of becoming an aviation MRO hub.
Safran has already been investing heavily in India, having inaugurated its largest LEAP engine MRO facility last year with a planned capacity of up to 300 LEAP shop visits annually. This new partnership builds on that growing industrial footprint.
Fuel efficiency and reliability remain the focus
The LEAP engine family has now become one of the most widely used narrowbody aircraft engines globally, powering both Airbus A320neo-family aircraft and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in different variants.
CFM says more than 10,000 LEAP engines have already been delivered worldwide. The company continues introducing durability upgrades designed to increase time-on-wing and reduce maintenance requirements—critical considerations for high-utilisation airlines such as IndiGo that routinely fly their aircraft for 12 to 14 hours every day.
For an airline built around operational efficiency and quick aircraft utilisation, engine reliability is every bit as important as fuel burn. Every additional day an aircraft spends flying instead of sitting in a maintenance hangar translates directly into improved economics.
A partnership that keeps growing
Commenting on the agreement, IndiGo CEO Designate Willie Walsh said the airline was entering its next phase of growth towards becoming “a truly global airline” and described CFM as a trusted partner that has supported the carrier’s expansion since 2016. He also highlighted the LEAP engine’s reliability as a key factor in supporting IndiGo’s operational resilience and sustainability ambitions.
For CFM International, the agreement further strengthens its position in what has become one of the world’s most important aviation markets. India is now CFM’s third-largest market globally, with five Indian airlines operating over 400 LEAP-powered aircraft and another 2,000 engines already on order.
Bottomline
IndiGo’s agreement for more than 1,000 CFM LEAP-1A engines is about much more than a record-breaking number. It underpins deliveries for more than 500 future Airbus aircraft, deepens a decade-long partnership with CFM International, and importantly, lays the groundwork for expanding engine maintenance capability within India.
As IndiGo prepares for its next chapter—with long-haul expansion, new international markets and one of the largest aircraft delivery pipelines anywhere in the world—ensuring a reliable supply of engines and maintenance support will be just as important as buying the aircraft themselves. This agreement ensures that both pieces of the puzzle continue moving together.
What do you think of IndiGo continuing to build massive infrastructure for Indian aviation with its big bold bets?
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