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The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch have welcomed a momentous deal for Airbus and Rolls-Royce to provide new aircraft for Air India, which is worth billions of pounds to the UK. The agreement announced by the companies聽this morning (Tuesday 14 February)聽will support and create new highly skilled jobs in Wales and Derbyshire, helping to boost exports, grow the economy and level up the UK.

A significant portion of the manufacturing process for the new aircraft is expected to take place in the UK. The wings will be designed in Filton, and assembled in Broughton 鈥� which is expected to bring an additional 450 manufacturing jobs and more than 拢100m of investment to Wales. The large A350 aircraft are exclusively powered by Rolls-Royce XWB engines, which are assembled and tested in Derby.

In 2021, the UK鈥檚 world-class aerospace sector added 拢10.6bn in value to the UK economy, exported c.70% of its domestic output and directly employed 111,000 high-skilled people, 89% of which are outside London and the Southeast. It is also a leading sector for high value apprenticeships, with 5,500 currently employed in sector.

India is a major economic power, projected to be the world鈥檚 third largest economy with a quarter of a billion middle class consumers by 2050. We are currently negotiating a free trade agreement that would boost our 拢34 billion trading relationship.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

鈥淭his landmark deal between Air India, Airbus and Rolls-Royce demonstrates that the sky鈥檚 the limit for the UK鈥檚 thriving aerospace sector.

鈥淚t will create better-paid jobs and new opportunities in manufacturing hubs from Derby to Wales, so we can grow the economy and聽support our agenda to level up 鈥� helping to deliver on my five priorities for the country.

鈥淭he UK is already a top investment destination, and by building trade ties with growing economic powers like India we will ensure UK businesses remain at the forefront of global growth and innovation.鈥�

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch MP said:

鈥淭his is a significant win for the UK鈥檚 world-leading aerospace sector and one which will help to secure thousands of highly skilled jobs across the country and drive economic growth. It鈥檚 a shot in the arm for UK exports as we aim to sell 拢1 trillion of goods and services a year to the world by the end of the decade.

鈥淲e鈥檙e currently negotiating a trade deal with India which could boost trade by up to 拢28 billion a year by 2035. Export wins like this are another big step to our nations forming a closer trading relationship.鈥�

Notes to editors:

• This deal will support wing assembly and engine manufacturing jobs, helping to ramp up Airbus鈥� production of the single aisle A320 aircraft and which will bring an additional 450 manufacturing jobs and over 拢100m of investment to Broughton, as they announced last year.