Syllabus:

GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Context: India hosted the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) 81^st Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the plenary session of the World Air Transport Summit (WATS).

More on the News

• This is the third time India is hosting the IATA annual general meeting (AGM), the first in 1958 and then in 1983. 

• Over 1,600 global aviation industry leaders, government officials, and media representatives attended the meeting at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. 

• The World Air Transport Summit was focused on key issues faced by the aviation industry, including Economics of the Airline industry, Air Connectivity, Energy Security, Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production, Financing Decarbonisation, Innovations, among others.

Key highlights: India's Transformation in Civil Aviation at AGM &WATS

• India is now the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world.

• Over 240 million passengers currently fly annually this figure is expected to reach 500 million by 2030.

• Air cargo stands at 3.5 million metric tons, projected to grow to 10 million metric tons by 2030.

• Operational airports increased from 74 in 2014 to 162 in 2025.

• India's airports now have a combined passenger handling capacity of 500 million per year.

• Aircraft Leasing and MRO Sector Growth:

• India emerging as a global aircraft leasing hub, with incentives in GIFT City.

• Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO):

• Facilities increased from 96 (2014) to 154.
• Target: Develop a $4 billion MRO hub by 2030.
• 100% FDI, GST cuts, and tax reforms have boosted the sector.

Inclusive and Gender-Responsive Growth

• 15% of Indian pilots are women (3x the global average).
• 86% of cabin crew in India are women (global average: ~70%).
• Women engineers in the MRO sector exceed global averages.

Three foundational pillars driving India’s aviation sector: 

• A vast market—not merely a collection of consumers but a reflection of India’s aspirational society.
• A strong demographic and talent pool—where young innovators are pioneering breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, robotics, and clean energy. 
• An open and supportive policy ecosystem—enabling industrial growth.

International Air Transport Association's (IATA) 

• IATA was founded in Havana, Cuba, on 19 April 1945.

• It is the prime vehicle for inter-airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical air services - for the benefit of the world's consumers.

• At its founding, IATA had 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in Europe and North America. Currently, it has some 350 members from 120 nations in every part of the globe.

• India was not a founding member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

• It is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with executive offices in Geneva, Switzerland.

Steps by India in Aviation Sector:

• Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Scheme 2016 to promote regional connectivity: The number of operational airports in the country has doubled from 74 in 2014 to 157 in 2024 and aims to increase to 350-400 by 2047.

• Digi Yatra app, highlighting it as a pioneering example of digital aviation.

• Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Bill, passed in Parliament this year, granting legal authority to the Cape Town Convention in India. It opens new opportunities for global aircraft leasing companies in India. 

• India's endorsement of the principles of the Chicago Convention, advocating for a more connected and accessible aviation network.