IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has entered into two major agreements with global aerospace firm Thales to strengthen its aircraft maintenance and digital flight operations. The partnership includes an 11-year contract covering the maintenance of avionics systems for over 1,200 aircraft and a separate 5-year deal to extend the use of a paperless cockpit solution across its entire fleet.
Under the 11-year agreement, Thales will handle the maintenance of advanced avionics equipment on IndiGo’s current fleet of 430 Airbus A320s, along with more than 800 additional aircraft expected in the future. This includes access to Thales’s specialized repair services and a support program designed to ensure spare parts are available when needed, helping reduce aircraft downtime and improve efficiency.
Repairs will be carried out at Thales’s new facility in Gurugram, near Delhi airport. The center is equipped with the latest tools to manage growing demand for avionics servicing in the region. Expert technicians will perform repairs that meet strict safety and quality requirements.
In addition, IndiGo has renewed a 5-year agreement with AvioBook, a Thales subsidiary, to continue using AvioBook Flight – a digital cockpit solution approved by India’s aviation authority for fully paperless operations. Already in use for more than a year, this system supports over 2,000 daily flights, helping cut paper waste and improve flight operations.
IndiGo’s Senior Vice President of Engineering, Parichay Datta, said “We’re glad to expand our partnership with Thales as IndiGo grows. This collaboration supports our goal of delivering safe, reliable, and smooth travel experiences, while also improving our technical capabilities.”
Thomas Got, Vice President at Thales, added “This agreement with IndiGo highlights our focus on supporting Indian airlines with top-quality services. Our new maintenance center in India allows us to offer faster and more dependable support as the country’s aviation market continues to grow.”
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global frontrunner in cutting-edge technologies, delivering solutions across Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital industries. The company’s diverse range of innovative products and services is designed to address major global challenges, including sovereignty, security, sustainability, and inclusion.
With an annual investment of over €4 billion in Research & Development, Thales focuses on advancing critical technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and cloud solutions, particularly for high-stakes environments. The company operates with a workforce of over 83,000 employees in 68 countries and achieved €20.6 billion in sales in 2024.
Thales has been present in India since 1953, with its headquarters in Noida and operational offices in major cities like Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. The company employs more than 2,200 people across India, including in its joint ventures.
From the outset, Thales has played a pivotal role in India’s development by sharing its expertise and advanced technologies across Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Thales operates two key engineering competence centres in India: one in Noida focusing on Cyber & Digital solutions, and another in Bengaluru, which specializes in hardware, software, and systems engineering for both the civil and defence industries, supporting global markets.
Thales has also made a significant contribution to India’s growing aviation sector. The company provides avionics and in-flight entertainment systems for a range of Indian civil aircraft and offers solutions to enhance airport security. Thales is also developing an advanced Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) system for drone operations. Additionally, Thales has set up a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Gurugram, providing comprehensive avionics maintenance services to Indian airlines.
