Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air has placed an order for 72 Boeing 737 MAX jets, valued at nearly+ $9 billion at list prices, the US plane maker has said.

We are honored that Akasa Air… has placed its trust in the 737 families to drive affordable passenger service in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation regions,” Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a statement.

“We are delighted to partner with Boeing for our first aeroplane order and thank them for their trust and confidence in Akasa Air’s business plan and leadership team,” Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube said.

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“India is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world with unparalleled potential. We are already witnessing a strong recovery in air travel, and we see decades of growth ahead of us.”

The order by Akasa Air comes months after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) allowed airlines to fly the MAX jet, ending its nearly two and a half years of regulatory grounding after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people.