Picture credits: X (RamMNK)
Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu announced that India will need at least 20,000 additional pilots in the coming years to meet the rising demand in the aviation sector. He highlighted that Indian airlines have placed orders for approximately 1,700 new aircraft, indicating significant industry growth.
As of January 2025, India has around 11,745 pilots employed across various airlines. Industry estimates indicate that by 2029, the total number of pilots required will reach 22,400.
The minister also stated that 50 more airports will be added over the next five years under the UDAN Scheme. In the past decade, the number of airports in the country has increased from 74 to 157.
To improve efficiency in aviation licensing, Naidu launched the Electronic Personnel License (EPL) for pilots. With this, India has become the second country in the world, after China, to implement digital pilot licenses. The EPL system allows pilots to access their licenses via the eGCA mobile application, ensuring real-time verification for global agencies. The initiative aligns with the government’s ‘Digital India’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business’ programs.
The launch event at UDAAN Bhawan was attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam and DGCA Director-General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that the adoption of EPL follows the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) roadmap for modern aviation governance.
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