Two Indian airlines have between them chosen General Electric CF6-80E1, GEnx and GE90-115B engines worth more than $2.5 billion to power new Boeing aircraft while a third has opted for GE/Snecma CFM56-5Bs to power its new Airbus A320s.

The largest order has come from Air India, which ordered $2.2 billion-worth of engines for its Boeing 777s and 787s. The carrier will take the 115,000-pound-thrust GE90-115B for its eight 777-200LRs and 777-300ERs on order and the 60,000-pound- thrust GEnx for its 27 B787-8s. The GEnx deal brings the total number of Boeing 787 orders for the new engine to 111.

Fast-growing Mumbai-based Jet Airways has opted for the CF6-80E1 for its 10 Airbus A330-200s on order in a deal worth around $300 million. The airline already operates CFM56-powered Boeing 737 Classic and Next Generation aircraft and GE-90-powered Boeing 777- 300ERs.

Meanwhile, Indian, formerly Indian Airlines, has ordered CFM56-5Bs to power its 43 A320s family aircraft scheduled for delivery between late 2006 and 2010 in a deal worth more than $500 million.