India’s civil aviation sector rises to world’s third-largest market
India’s aviation expansion has added more than 70 airports in a decade and attracted major foreign investment, but the sector faces a projected shortage of pilots.
India has become the world’s third-largest aviation market, behind China and the United States, according to France 24.
The sector has expanded rapidly over roughly a decade, with more than 70 airports built during the past 10 years. India now records more than 400 million air passengers annually, although the market ranking and passenger figure are reported without a definition of the measure used.
The growth has attracted foreign investment and major aerospace companies, including Airbus. Airbus aircraft reportedly account for more than 70 per cent of India’s domestic fleet.
The expansion is also creating workforce demands. India may need to train about 35,000 additional pilots by 2035 to meet projected demand, France 24 reported.
The figures highlight the scale of India’s aviation build-out while leaving key questions about how the market ranking is calculated and whether passenger totals refer to journeys or individual travellers.
