City
Epaper

India needs 30,000 pilots in next 2 decades as aviation industry expands: Minister

By IANS | Updated: March 11, 2025 17:21 IST

New Delhi, March 11 India will require around 30,000 pilots over the next 15 to 20 years as ...

Open in App

New Delhi, March 11 India will require around 30,000 pilots over the next 15 to 20 years as airlines continue to expand their fleets, Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said on Tuesday.

He highlighted that domestic airlines have placed orders for more than 1,700 aircraft, adding to the current fleet of over 800 planes.

Speaking at an event for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 200 trainer aircraft, the minister stressed the importance of strengthening pilot training in the country.

“There are currently 6,000 to 7,000 working pilots, and with the growing demand, India should aim to become a hub for pilot training,” the Minister stated.

To support this goal, the government is reviewing 38 Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) and will introduce a rating system for them.

Naidu also mentioned that the aviation ministry is working on a strategy to categorise airports, including the possibility of having dedicated airports for cargo operations and pilot training.

“Honoured to be the Chief Guest at the MoU signing between the Aero Club of India and Sakthi Aircraft Industries today,” Naidu posted on social media platform X.

He added this landmark collaboration will provide indigenously manufactured trainer aircraft to India’s FTOs, reducing import dependency and strengthening our aviation training ecosystem.

Training aircraft are the backbone of pilot development, and this initiative will be a game-changer in empowering the next generation of skilled pilots in India.

India is among the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, and the expansion of airline networks is creating new job opportunities.

The government aims to strengthen infrastructure and training facilities to meet the industry's future needs.

Domestic air passenger traffic in India continued its upward trend in January, reaching an estimated 150.3 lakh passengers, according to a new report. This represents a 0.7 per cent increase compared to December 2024 and a significant 14.5 per cent jump compared to January last year.

Furthermore, January this year traffic surpassed pre-Covid levels (January 2020) by a robust 17.9 per cent, according to ICRA report.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalDeath toll from floods climbs to 1006 in Pakistan

InternationalPakistan: Earthquake of magnitude 3.2 strikes Karachi

InternationalGlobal voices call for urgent action to safeguard women and children in Pakistan and Bangladesh

InternationalDeputy Chairman highlights India's progress in disaster management, urges global action for stronger disaster preparedness

International"Democrats did nothing to help us": JD Vance on federal govt shutdown

Technology Realted Stories

TechnologyScientists just found strongest signs of life on Mars yet: Study

TechnologyCentre launches adoption awareness campaign for children with special needs

TechnologyRBI MPC keeps rates steady, raises GDP projection, trims inflation forecast

TechnologyGST revenues up 9.1 pc at Rs 1.89 lakh crore in Sep

TechnologyDPIIT, Thermo Fisher Scientific tie up to boost India’s biotech startup ecosystem