New Delhi: In a major push to India’s civil aviation sector, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Wednesday awarded Letters of Intent (LoIs) for the establishment of 11 new Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) across seven Airports Authority of India (AAI) airports. The initiative is expected to significantly strengthen the country’s pilot training ecosystem and support the growing demand for skilled aviation professionals.
At present, 41 Flying Training Organisations operate from 63 flying bases across the country. With the addition of the new FTOs, India’s annual pilot training capacity is expected to increase by 750 cadets, providing a substantial boost to the domestic aviation training infrastructure.
Minister Highlights Rapid Growth of India’s Aviation Sector
Addressing the gathering, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu said:
“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. Guided by the vision of Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, we are simultaneously expanding aviation infrastructure and building a future-ready workforce to support the sector’s long-term growth.”
Highlighting the expansion of India’s pilot training ecosystem over the past two years, the Minister said the country has established six new Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) during the period. He noted that the number of training aircraft available with Indian FTOs has increased from 324 to 385, leading to a 25% rise in annual flying hours across the pilot training ecosystem.
According to him, the growth reflects not only an expansion in numbers but also a significant improvement in training capacity and operational utilisation.
Commercial Pilot Licence Issuance Reaches Decade High
The expansion of the training ecosystem has translated into higher pilot output.
According to the Ministry:
- Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) issued increased from 1,347 in 2024 to 1,652 in 2025, the highest number issued in the last decade.
- The number of CPLs is expected to increase further during 2026.
Emphasising the growing demand for trained pilots, the Minister said:
“Indian airlines currently have 1,640 aircraft on order, and nearly 500 aircraft are expected to be inducted over the next five years. Meeting this unprecedented growth requires a strong domestic pipeline of trained aviation professionals. Our vision is clear—‘Train in India, Fly in India’.”
Government Introduces Reforms to Strengthen Pilot Training
The Minister highlighted several policy measures aimed at improving India’s pilot training ecosystem.
These include:
- Liberalisation of the Flying Training Organisation policy.
- Abolition of airport royalties.
- Rationalisation of land rentals.
- Digitisation of the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) examination process through the Pariksha Portal.
- Introduction of Electronic Licences, making India the second country globally to issue them.
FTO Ranking Framework Improves Training Standards
The Minister said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s FTO Ranking Framework was introduced to improve transparency and encourage higher training standards across flying schools.
He stated:
“The ranking framework was introduced to make pilot training more transparent, data-driven and attractive for young aspirants and their families. I am pleased to see that the framework is already yielding measurable improvements, with a reduction in Category ‘C’ FTOs and an increase in Category ‘B’ FTOs. IGRUA has also achieved an average of 1,765 flying hours per aircraft annually over the last six months, significantly higher than the global benchmark of around 1,500 hours. The Academy has also recorded a 27% increase in revenue during FY 2025–26 and closed the year with a budget surplus after more than two decades of recurring deficits.”
The Minister also highlighted progress in the development of the indigenous HANSA-3 (NG) trainer aircraft, describing it as an important step towards strengthening India’s self-reliant aviation training ecosystem.
FTO IFR Slot Booking App Launched
During the event, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu launched the FTO IFR Slot Booking Mobile App.
Developed to facilitate Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) training, the application enables Flying Training Organisations to:
- View available IFR training slots across AAI airports.
- Submit slot booking requests digitally.
- Ensure fair and optimum utilisation of airport infrastructure.
Minister Stresses Safety in Flight Training
Concluding his address, the Minister emphasised the importance of maintaining the highest safety standards across the country’s pilot training ecosystem.
He said: “One word must remain at the centre of all our efforts—safety. We must strengthen instructor oversight, ensure rigorous adherence to standard operating procedures and build a deep-rooted safety culture across all FTOs.”
The ceremony was attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary Puneet Kansal, AAI Chairman Vipin Kumar, senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, AAI and representatives of Flying Training Organisations from across the country.
