- India is the world's third-largest domestic aviation market and fifth overall in size
- Passenger numbers reached 250 million in 2025 with around 10% annual growth rate
- Operational airports increased from 74 in 2014 to 164, with plans for 350 by 2047
India's civil aviation sector is firmly in expansion mode, emerging as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. With airlines inducting aircraft at an unprecedented pace - IndiGo, for instance, has been adding nearly one aircraft every week. Speaking to NDTV on the broader trajectory of the sector, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said India is already the world's third-largest domestic aviation market and the fifth-largest overall.
"Very soon, we will be the third-largest international aviation market as well," he said, pointing to sustained double-digit growth in passenger traffic.
Yet, as the sector races ahead, regulators are grappling with the equally critical task of ensuring safety, workforce readiness and infrastructure keep pace.
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From COVID Shock to Record Passenger Volumes
The last decade, Naidu noted, has been transformative despite the severe disruption caused by COVID-19. Passenger numbers have not only recovered but surpassed pre-pandemic levels. India recorded nearly 250 million air passengers in 2025, with annual growth of around 10%.
Infrastructure has expanded in tandem. The number of operational airports has risen from 74 in 2014 to 164 today. The government plans to add 50 more airports over the next five years and scale up to nearly 350 airports by 2047.
Aircraft induction is accelerating just as sharply. India currently has about 1,700 aircraft on order, with deliveries spread over the next 15 years. In 2026 alone, airlines are expected to induct 106 new aircraft - numbers that underline the long-term demand outlook.
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Safety First Amid Rapid Expansion
However, rapid growth has brought renewed scrutiny on safety, particularly following the Air India AI-171 incident, the final investigation report for which is still awaited. Naidu stressed that safety remains non-negotiable.
"Whatever we talk about - passengers, numbers, money or airports - everything is secondary to safety," he said, adding that accident investigations must follow globally mandated protocols under ICAO guidelines. With multinational stakeholders involved, he said reports cannot be rushed and must be "100% thorough and transparent".
Pilots, Policy and the Capacity Question
A key concern is whether airlines can induct and train enough pilots to meet expansion plans. Naidu said India has adequate pilot numbers, but type-rating and aircraft-specific training remain bottlenecks. To address this, the government has cleared at least eight new flying training organisations and is encouraging more investment in pilot training.
With 1,700 aircraft expected over 15 years, demand for pilots could run into tens of thousands, he said, underscoring the urgency of scaling training capacity.
Policy reforms are also reshaping airport development. Instead of only mega hubs, the government is pushing a hub-and-spoke model with a mix of large, medium and small airports. Regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme has helped normalise air travel beyond metros, with nearly five lakh people flying daily.
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