Hyderabad: India is moving from being one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets to becoming a fully integrated aviation ecosystem that designs, manufactures, maintains and finances aircraft, Union civil aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said on Thursday at Wings India 2026.
Speaking on Day 2 of the 4-day event at Begumpet Airport, Naidu said India doubled the number of airports over the past 11 years, from 74 to 164 and aims to reach 350 in the next 20 years. He said 12 new airports and terminal buildings were inaugurated in the last 18 months.
Under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, he said 92 airports were developed and made operational since 2016, including the revival of 55 unutilised airstrips, benefiting over 1.5 crore passengers through more than 3.17 lakh flights. A modified UDAN, he added, targets 120 new destinations and 4 crore passengers over the next decade.
Naidu said India's policy environment is stable and open, pointing to the country's growing role in global aviation forums, including the Delhi Declaration adopted by 29 nations at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in 2024 and the IATA General Meeting hosted in 2025 after a 42-year gap.
On capacity and manpower, he said three new airlines are set to become operational, and carriers are placing orders for nearly 100 aircraft annually over the next 15 years. Citing a CAPA study, he said aircraft operating in India could exceed 5,000 by 2050, requiring up to 30,000 pilots in the next 15 years. He said India issued a record 1,628 commercial pilot licences in 2025 and approved 5 new flying training organisations, taking the total to 40 with up to 60 bases.
On new mobility, Naidu said 100% FDI is permitted in autonomous systems and electronic aviation, and that DGCA issued guidelines for vertiports and eVTOL certification. He cited deployments in Meghalaya and plans for eVTOL air ambulances incubated at IIT Madras.
Naidu pointed to policy steps to lower costs and build domestic capability, including the Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Act, 2025, which he said reduced leasing costs by 8–10%, and the development of GIFT City as a leasing hub. He listed upcoming MRO projects, including Air India and IndiGo facilities in Bengaluru, Air Works in Bhubaneswar, Lufthansa's widebody engine MRO in Bengaluru, and Safran's engine MRO at Shamshabad, Hyderabad.
On sustainability, he said a draft sustainable aviation fuel policy targets 1% blending by 2027, 2% by 2028, and 5% by 2030, with India positioning for 8–10 crore litres annual production capacity. He also highlighted digital twins, AI-led airport operations, and DigiYatra as improving passenger experience.
Naidu also stressed the need to ensure greater participation of women across aviation roles, noting women constitute about 15% of India's pilots compared with a global average of 5%.
In his address, deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka said today India's aviation sector is moving from "Make in India" to "Make for the world", with Telangana playing a crucial role in this transformation.
He said today Hyderabad hosts world-class aero-engine MRO facilities, major aircraft structures manufacturing, advanced drone and UAV ecosystems, global innovation centres, and a dense network of MSMEs integrated into global supply chains.
"Many aircraft flying across continents today carry components made by young engineers sitting in Hyderabad," he said.
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