India to become largest aviation market in a decade: Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia

India will become the largest civil aviation market in the next decade, Union minister of civil aviation Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia said today at CII’s International conference on Advanced & Short-Haul Air Mobility for All (ASHA): Technologies for Ease of Transport.

Shri Scindia said that India has crossed the pre-COVID number of air travellers by 10 per cent to reach 455,000 passenger daily, with airlines now operating at 80-90 per cent load factor. The penetration level in a population of 1.3 billion is, however, still 3-5 per cent. “We need more aircraft and more quickly because India has an insatiable desire to travel,” he said.

While stating India was proving itself to be a manufacturing hub in the aerospace sector, Shri Scindia invited global companies to be part of India journey.  

The minister said technology has jumped forward and has become an important protagonist in future of mankind. “In that period of change and dynamic flux, the civil aviation sector is making unimaginable strides as never before.”

Speaking about opportunities in the advanced air mobility sector, the minister said the drone market will become a Rs 3 lakh crore market by 2030 employing 3-4 lakh persons. 

He underscored the need to have a good eco system and said Advanced air mobility must have its basis in strong civil aviation infrastructure. For the Infrastructure to be built, he said urban city planners were needed to be involved. "Along with vertiports, we need to have charging points," he said.

Shri Scindia emphasised that the government was no longer a regulator but a facilitator and partner to the industry.

28 March 2023

Bengaluru