Riyadh Air sees India as a priority market with huge and diverse traffic potential, the Saudi national carrier’s chief commercial officer, Vincent Coste, said on Wednesday.
The airline, backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, had launched its service between Riyadh and Mumbai the day before, making the latter its first international destination in India. The airline is said to be in talks with the regulators and airports for slots, and aims to add another Indian city to its roster this year.
“There is a healthy mix of tourism, corporate, and religious traffic from India. The fact that there is a large Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia makes it is a perfect market for investment in the coming years,” Coste told reporters in Mumbai.
Currently, there are 30 daily flights between India and the Saudi Arabian capital. Riyadh Air aims to offer a “consistent product” with its Boeing 787 aircraft, said Coste, adding that it will make a “huge difference” compared to other airlines.
Saudi Arabia is India’s second-largest international market by scheduled capacity, with over 3 lakh seats, representing 4 per cent of all international flights to and from India.
Published on August 5, 2026
