India Emerging as Global Leader in Space-Aviation Convergence: PM Modi
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 2nd June: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the plenary session of the World Air Transport Summit (WATS) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Marking the event’s return to India after four decades, Modi emphasized the remarkable transformation India has undergone in aviation and its emerging role as a global aviation leader.
Highlighting India as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, the Prime Minister credited policy reforms, innovation, and initiatives like the UDAN scheme for expanding affordable air connectivity to millions, calling it a “golden chapter in Indian civil aviation.” Under UDAN, over 15 million passengers have flown at reduced costs, with the aviation sector now handling 240 million passengers annually, a figure projected to double by 2030.
Modi spotlighted India’s evolving space-aviation convergence and the country’s preparedness for future innovations such as commercial space flights and interplanetary travel. He underlined three pillars of India’s aviation growth: a vast aspirational market, a young talent pool driving technology breakthroughs, and an open policy environment fostering industrial expansion.
India’s infrastructure has seen rapid growth, with operational airports more than doubling from 74 in 2014 to 162 today. Indian airlines have ordered over 2,000 new aircraft, signaling robust sector growth. The Prime Minister stressed India’s commitment to sustainability, highlighting efforts in sustainable aviation fuels, green technologies, and a focus on balancing progress with environmental security.
Modi introduced the Digi Yatra app as a pioneering digital innovation offering seamless airport experiences through facial recognition, positioning India as a model for digital aviation in the Global South.
He also discussed India’s push to become a global manufacturing and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hub. Legislative measures such as the Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Bill and incentives at Gift City are making India an attractive destination for aircraft leasing and aviation investments. The aviation sector is generating significant employment opportunities and contributing to economic growth.
Addressing gender inclusion, the Prime Minister noted that over 15% of India’s pilots are women—three times the global average—and women’s participation in cabin crew and engineering roles exceeds worldwide figures. He also highlighted drone technology’s role in advancing social inclusion, particularly empowering women’s self-help groups.
On safety and global cooperation, Shri Modi reaffirmed India’s alignment with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and its commitment to open skies and global connectivity under the Chicago Convention principles.
Closing his address, the Prime Minister called on aviation stakeholders to collaborate in creating a future where air travel is accessible, affordable, and secure for all, expressing confidence in the sector’s potential to reach new heights.
Union Ministers Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Shri Murlidhar Mohol, IATA Chairman Pieter Elbers, Director General Willie Walsh, and IndiGo Managing Director Rahul Bhatia were among the dignitaries present.
