India’s Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia while talking about the government’s vision for air travel said that 75 new airports have been built in India in the last 10 years, adding that the sector was on the upswing and still holds a lot of potential.
What did Scindia say?
The Aviation Minister said that the government has planned to push the number of airports in India to 220 from the current 149 in the next 5 to 7 years.
While speaking at the formal inauguration of the aircraft Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) facility of AAR-Indamer at Mihan SEZ in Nagpur, Scindia said that in the past people heard about airlines getting shut down in India, adding that things have changed now and new air carriers are being established to make flying accessible to citizens.
Scindia said the facility’s inauguration was a very important event in the history of MRO evolution in India. He said that the significance of the event was multi-faceted, marking a pivotal moment in the maturation of civil aviation in India. “Civil aviation has enjoyed a historical journey in India and the sector is over 100 years old. But, it is now that the sector has assumed tremendous scale and offers vast opportunities,” Scindia added.
As per his statement, India had only about 400 aircraft 10 years ago, and now the number has surged to 713 planes (last counted) and more will be added going forward.
The minister discussed that Air India has initiated orders for 470 aircraft—250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. Additionally, the prominent carrier IndiGo is in the process of acquiring 500 planes, showcasing the substantial potential within the aviation sector. He emphasised that these orders hold historical significance, not only for India but also for the international aviation community.
Air passenger traffic
At the event, Scindia said that the passenger traffic has grown by 130% in the last 10 years from about 6 crore, adding that Asia will have close to 50% of all international passenger traffic by 2040, up from the current level of 37%.
(With PTI inputs)