Prime Minister Narendra Modi has positioned India as a key player in the future of global aviation and aerospace innovation during his address at the 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Air Transport Summit (WATS), held in New Delhi. IndiGo is the host airline for the event, which was last held in India in 1983. Nearly 1,700 participants have registered for the three-day gathering, including industry leaders, government officials, and international media.
“We are excited to bring the IATA AGM to India after a 42-year gap. India’s place in global aviation has changed dramatically, particularly over the last decade. The country has seen record aircraft orders, impressive growth, and world class infrastructure developments. The AGM will allow aviation leaders and journalists from around the world to witness first-hand how India’s rapidly modernizing and expanding aviation sector is contributing to the country’s overall economic and social development,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Speaking to over 1,600 industry leaders, global CEOs, senior officials, and media delegates at Bharat Mandapam, the Prime Minister outlined a bold vision for India’s aviation industry, blending infrastructure expansion, policy support, and technological readiness to transform the country into a global hub for civil aviation, manufacturing, and even space-age travel.
“We now stand at a juncture where travel is no longer confined to cities on Earth. Humans are dreaming of commercial space flights and interplanetary journeys, and civil aviation is at the core of this transformation,” said PM Modi, striking a futuristic note.
India’s Aviation Boom
Highlighting India’s emergence as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, PM Modi said the sector has become central to the government’s broader ambitions of positioning the country as a global technology and logistics hub.
India now boasts 162 operational airports, more than double the 74 in 2014, reflecting rapid infrastructure development underpinned by initiatives such as UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), which has already operationalized 619 regional routes. Modi called the UDAN scheme a “golden chapter” in Indian civil aviation history.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu added that India plans to add 50 more airports over the next five years, with a goal of scaling up to over 350 airports by 2047 as part of the Viksit Bharat vision.
“Our domestic traffic has surged 30 percent, international traffic has risen from 55 million to 72 million, and in April 2025 alone, domestic air traffic grew by 10 percent, outpacing the global growth rate of 8 percent,” Naidu said, underlining India’s accelerating demand for air travel.
Calling it a “clear invitation” to global airlines, Naidu urged the international aviation community to tap into India’s fast-growing regional air transport market. “So let us go ahead for flight to India, fly in India, and fly with India,” he said.
Reinforcing this optimism, IATA released its April 2025 passenger demand data during the AGM, showing strong growth across global markets:
Total passenger demand rose 8.0 percent year-on-year
International traffic surged by 10.8 percent
Domestic demand increased by 3.3 percent
International load factors reached a record 84.1 percent —the highest ever for April
“As we gather in New Delhi for the 81st IATA AGM, it is notable that Indian domestic growth is running at over 10percent . The development of India’s air connectivity in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal,” Walsh added.
Pitch for Global Investment
Underscoring India’s potential as an investment destination, PM Modi said the country offers global aviation companies a compelling opportunity backed by:
* A vast, aspirational consumer market
* A youth-driven, tech-savvy talent pool skilled in AI, robotics, and clean energy
* A supportive and open policy ecosystem
“India is ready for big investments in the civil aviation sector. We want the world to see India not just as an aviation market, but as a value chain leader,” said the Prime Minister. “Our direction is right, our speed is right.”
Minister Naidu reinforced this by pitching India as a future global hub for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services. “India is perfectly positioned to become a global MRO hub. We’re targeting a $4 billion share of the global MRO market by 2031,” he said. To support this ambition, the government has allowed FDI through the automatic route and introduced transparent, royalty-free land allotment for MRO facilities.
Looking ahead, Naidu said India’s aviation sector could evolve into a $10 billion industry over the next 10 to 15 years, driven by domestic manufacturing of aircraft structures, electronic systems, and avionics. He also highlighted the operationalisation of two key assembly lines, the C295 military transport aircraft and the H130 and H125 helicopters, as evidence of the Make in India push in aerospace.
Aviation’s Economic Impact
India’s aviation sector directly employs around 369,700 people and contributes $5.6 billion to the GDP. Including tourism and indirect impacts, the industry supports 7.7 million jobs and adds $53.6 billion to the economy, or approximately 1.5percent of the national GDP.
“The discussions at this summit will chart a new direction for aviation. We must now tap the infinite possibilities of this sector and use them better,” said Modi, urging the global community to collaborate for equitable growth and climate-conscious innovation.
As commercial aviation inches closer to space-age possibilities, India is signalling its readiness to lead, not just in the skies, but beyond. With bold policy, infrastructure expansion, and a strong economic foundation, the country is setting its sights high, from skies to space.
