On the eve of the India Aviation Conference on Civil Aviation, business aviation market advisor Brian Foley said business jet deliveries in India are healthier than in most Western countries but the volume isn’t on par with mature markets. However, the president of Brian Foley Associates noted that India’s growing share of business jet deliveries has clearly caught the attention of aircraft manufacturers. “In 2009, India’s bizjet fleet grew by 14 percent versus a worldwide figure of 5 percent,” Foley said. “But India’s home-based fleet is less than 1 percent of the worldwide total–only 123 aircraft out of almost 18,000–and this must be kept in perspective. I believe this growth is genuine, but it is from a very low base.” An encouraging sign is that aircraft delivered into India generally represent much higher unit values, as India’s geography and international business patterns favor longer range and hence higher cost aircraft. According to Foley, airport infrastructure is the main obstacle affecting business aviation growth in India. Current airports and services, such as fueling, catering and hangaring, “are not yet adequate in terms of depth or standard to support a big surge in the aircraft population.”