NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called on global investors to “join us as co-pilots on India’s flight to success,” asserting that India is rapidly emerging as a major international aviation hub and offering wide-ranging opportunities across the sector.
In a video message inaugurating Wings India 2026, a civil aviation summit held at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, Modi said the government is preparing the next phase of the UDAN scheme to further strengthen regional and affordable air connectivity.
The Prime Minister said demand for air travel is expected to rise sharply in the coming years, opening new avenuesh opportunities for investment. He highlighted aircraft manufacturing, pilot training, advanced air mobility, and aircraft leasing as key areas where India offers “immense possibilities.”
Emphasizing self-reliance, Modi said India must reduce dependence on external sources for aviation-related needs. “Today, as India is becoming a major global aviation hub, it is also important that we do not remain dependent on others for aviation-related needs. We must strengthen the path of self-reliance. This will also be helpful for companies that are coming to invest in India,” he said.
Modi noted that India is placing strong emphasis on aircraft design, manufacturing, and the maintenance, repair, and overhaul ecosystem. “Even today, India is a major manufacturer and supplier of aircraft parts. We are starting to manufacture military and transport aircraft in the country,” he said.
Calling it a “golden opportunity,” the Prime Minister urged “every country, every industry leader and every innovator” to become long-term partners in India’s development journey and contribute to the growth of the global aviation sector.
He said India’s aviation industry has undergone a historic transformation over the past decade. “There was a time when air travel in India was limited to an exclusive club, but today the situation has completely changed. Today, India is the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market,” Modi said, adding that passenger traffic and airline fleets have expanded rapidly.
According to the Prime Minister, Indian airlines have placed orders for more than 1,500 aircraft in recent years.
Modi said the government is working to ensure air travel is accessible to all citizens, with a focus on connecting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. He noted that India had 70 airports in 2014, a number that has since grown to more than 160.
“We have activated more than 100 aerodromes in the country and, along with this, we have launched the UDAN scheme for affordable air travel for our citizens. Thanks to the UDAN scheme, 15 million passengers, or approximately 1.5 crore passengers, have travelled on routes that didn’t even exist before,” he said.
Looking ahead, Modi said India’s air activity will expand significantly as the country moves toward its goal of becoming a developed nation. He said India is expected to have more than 400 airports by 2047.
“Not only that, but our government is also working on the next phase of the UDAN Scheme. This policy will further strengthen regional and affordable air connectivity, and along with all this, seaplane operations are also being expanded. Our endeavour is to improve air connectivity in every corner of India,” he said.
The Prime Minister also pointed to tourism as a major driver of aviation growth. “Tourist places are being developed across the country, and air travel is the first choice for a large number of people to visit these the places. In the coming times, there will be an unprecedented expansion in the demand for air travel. This means that more opportunities will be created for all of you for investment,” he added. (Source: IANS)
