Indian carriers will require about 200 new aircraft in the next five years to meet the demands of the country's fast growing civil aviation sector. This was stated by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in a meeting with French Trade Minister Francois Loos in New Delhi on Friday.

Many of these aircraft would come from the state-run carriers, Air-India and Indian Airlines. The airlines are drawing up plans to buy a large number aircraft to replenish their ageing fleet.

Patel has told the French delegation that Indian Airlines has already started price negotiations with French aircraft maker Airbus Industrie for acquiring a mix of 43 A319s, A320s and A321s.

Industry experts said that the two state- owned carriers will have to overhaul their fleet to meet competition from the new players.

Besides, the government has also charted a growth path that would see the two carriers achieving a three-fold growth in the number of passengers over the next three years. Besides, the government also wants the carriers to double the their size in the next three years.

Meanwhile, Air-India is in the process of finalising the type of aircraft it wants when it goes shopping for 68 planes, which would include 18 Boeings for its no-frills and low-cost subsidiary Air India Express.

Sources said that Patel asked the French delegation to relax the terms and conditions for acquiring planes. He also told the delegation that the government intends to take aircraft through lease-cum-purchase deals.

Besides, a huge demand for aircraft is also expected due to the large number of low cost carriers that are being proposed.