Kamal Ghorui
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a gathering on Wednesday, said that India’s aviation sector has undergone a historic transformation over the past decade, evolving from an exclusive mode of transport into the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. For more clarity, check the official press release by Prime Minister’s Office.Addressing the Wings India 2026 programme in Hyderabad via video conferencing, the Prime Minister said the rapid growth of the sector reflects the government’s long-term vision of making air travel inclusive and accessible to every citizen.
Recalling that air travel was once limited to a small section of the population, the Prime Minister said passenger traffic has grown rapidly in recent years, with Indian airlines placing orders for more than 1,500 aircraft, indicating strong demand and expansion across the sector.
Highlighting infrastructure development, he said the number of airports in the country has increased from 70 in 2014 to more than 160 at present, while over 100 aerodromes have been activated. He said this expansion has helped connect Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and significantly strengthened regional air connectivity. The Prime Minister said the UDAN scheme has played a key role in making air travel affordable and accessible. Under the scheme, around 1.5 crore passengers have travelled on air routes that did not exist earlier, he noted. Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said the government is working on the next phase of the UDAN scheme to further expand regional and affordable air connectivity. He also referred to plans for the development of sea-plane operations across the country to improve connectivity to remote and coastal areas. By 2047, he said, India is expected to have more than 400 airports, creating a vast air connectivity network.
Emphasising that the expansion of air connectivity will multiply as India moves towards becoming a developed nation, the Prime Minister said the aviation sector will see unprecedented growth in the coming years, generating new opportunities for investment. He also highlighted the government’s focus on developing tourism infrastructure nationwide, which is driving increased demand for air travel. Regarding self-reliance in aviation, the Prime Minister stated that India is giving “strong emphasis to aircraft design, manufacture, and the MRO sector. India is already a large supplier of aircraft components and has started domestic production of military and transport aircraft, and is making progress in the manufacture of civilian aircraft. He said India’s strategic geographic location in global air corridors, a strong domestic feeder network and the expansion of long-haul aircraft fleets are helping the country emerge as a major global aviation hub.Talking about the future technology, the Prime Minister said that the electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft designed and developed in India could soon give a new direction to the aviation industry by reducing the travel time significantly. The Prime Minister also said that India is working extensively on sustainable aviation fuel and could soon become a major producer and exporter of green aviation fuel. Mentioning the reforms in the sector, the Prime Minister said India is poised to become one of the major aviation hubs connecting the Global South and the international community. This presents a huge opportunity for international investors and manufacturers. The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of air cargo development, including digital cargo platforms, warehousing, and logistics reforms to make the transportation of cargo faster and more efficient. This will help India become a competitive transshipment hub, he said.
