MUMBAI: India will likely be increasing its regional air connectivity, civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu mentioned in a latest public deal with including that the nation might have 350 to 400 airports in the coming 20 to 25 years.
The minister, who was talking at FICCI’s India Regional Air Mobility Conference 2024, spoke concerning the authorities’s intention to lengthen the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) for one more ten years past its present finish date in 2027.”Our vision is to extend the RCS UDAN scheme for a further ten years,” Naidu mentioned. “We are already preparing a new programme to make it even more impressive, not only for the civil aviation sector but keeping in mind the common man of this country and making air travel more affordable for them.”
The UDAN scheme, launched in 2016, has enhanced regional air connectivity in India. Naidu highlighted its success, stating, “By operationalizing over 583 routes, we are connecting 86 airports, many of which were previously underserved or unserved. More than 1.4 crore passengers have benefited from UDAN flights, with over 2.80 lakh flights operated under the scheme and a viability gap funding support of more than 3,700 crores.”
The minister additionally outlined a number of different key initiatives and developments in India’s aviation sector. India is actively pursuing the event and manufacturing of its personal regional plane. “We want to produce our own aircraft. We are learning from the best and want to have our presence in the regional aircraft market,” Naidu acknowledged.
Looking past nationwide borders, minister Naidu outlined a imaginative and prescient for better interconnectivity between Asia Pacific international locations. “It is time that we look beyond the international borders and prepare a roadmap for greater interconnectivity between the Asia Pacific countries,” he acknowledged.
The minister proposed a hub and spoke mannequin to join extra airports in the area, with main airports serving as hubs and smaller regional airports as spokes. This strategy goals to create a seamless community that reduces journey occasions and optimises assets. Naidu highlighted the area’s potential, noting that it’s anticipated to turn into the world’s largest aviation market by 2035, with 3.5 billion passengers yearly. He known as for collaboration to deal with widespread challenges resembling market imbalances, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory hurdles.
Speaking concerning the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL), the rules for which had been launched by DGCA just lately, the minister underlined that the event positions India on the forefront of rising aviation applied sciences. Naidu emphasised the potential of eVTOL autos to revolutionise city air mobility, significantly in congested metropolitan areas like Delhi and Mumbai. “If not for longer regional routes, at least within the city, I think these can provide us with a very strong aviation mobility, air mobility network,” he defined.
Vumlunmang Vualnam, secretary, union ministry of civil aviation, additional elaborated on India’s aviation progress trajectory. Vualnam highlighted the sector’s sturdy progress, citing a ten% annual improve over twenty years, rising to 11% excluding the Covid years. The Secretary emphasised the federal government’s proactive steps, together with doubling the variety of airports and implementing schemes like UDAN.
Alexis VIDAL, chief business officer, ATR Regional Aircraft, supplied insights into the success of regional connectivity in India. VIDAL highlighted ATR’s important contribution to metropolis pairing, a vital facet of regional air mobility. “In the past five years, our aircraft have contributed to creating more than 200 new city pairs across India,” VIDAL acknowledged. He emphasised that this quantity surpasses the routes opened by all different jet plane mixed. ATR’s success in India is attributed to its plane’s skill to function on skinny routes with reasonable demand and unrivalled economics. VIDAL additionally revealed future potential, citing analysis figuring out alternatives for a further 300 new metropolis pairs, doubtlessly including 80 million annual passengers in regional air transportation.
Remi Maillard, chairman – FICCI Civil Aviation Committee and president & MD, Airbus – South Asia & India, emphasised the significance of regional air mobility for India’s aviation progress. He highlighted India’s preferrred market situations for regional connectivity, citing its geography, demographics, and financial progress. He famous UDAN’s success in connecting underserved airports and fostering new enterprise fashions, whereas acknowledging challenges resembling infrastructure limitations and the necessity for continued authorities help to guarantee viability.
The minister, who was talking at FICCI’s India Regional Air Mobility Conference 2024, spoke concerning the authorities’s intention to lengthen the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) for one more ten years past its present finish date in 2027.”Our vision is to extend the RCS UDAN scheme for a further ten years,” Naidu mentioned. “We are already preparing a new programme to make it even more impressive, not only for the civil aviation sector but keeping in mind the common man of this country and making air travel more affordable for them.”
The UDAN scheme, launched in 2016, has enhanced regional air connectivity in India. Naidu highlighted its success, stating, “By operationalizing over 583 routes, we are connecting 86 airports, many of which were previously underserved or unserved. More than 1.4 crore passengers have benefited from UDAN flights, with over 2.80 lakh flights operated under the scheme and a viability gap funding support of more than 3,700 crores.”
The minister additionally outlined a number of different key initiatives and developments in India’s aviation sector. India is actively pursuing the event and manufacturing of its personal regional plane. “We want to produce our own aircraft. We are learning from the best and want to have our presence in the regional aircraft market,” Naidu acknowledged.
Looking past nationwide borders, minister Naidu outlined a imaginative and prescient for better interconnectivity between Asia Pacific international locations. “It is time that we look beyond the international borders and prepare a roadmap for greater interconnectivity between the Asia Pacific countries,” he acknowledged.
The minister proposed a hub and spoke mannequin to join extra airports in the area, with main airports serving as hubs and smaller regional airports as spokes. This strategy goals to create a seamless community that reduces journey occasions and optimises assets. Naidu highlighted the area’s potential, noting that it’s anticipated to turn into the world’s largest aviation market by 2035, with 3.5 billion passengers yearly. He known as for collaboration to deal with widespread challenges resembling market imbalances, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory hurdles.
Speaking concerning the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL), the rules for which had been launched by DGCA just lately, the minister underlined that the event positions India on the forefront of rising aviation applied sciences. Naidu emphasised the potential of eVTOL autos to revolutionise city air mobility, significantly in congested metropolitan areas like Delhi and Mumbai. “If not for longer regional routes, at least within the city, I think these can provide us with a very strong aviation mobility, air mobility network,” he defined.
Vumlunmang Vualnam, secretary, union ministry of civil aviation, additional elaborated on India’s aviation progress trajectory. Vualnam highlighted the sector’s sturdy progress, citing a ten% annual improve over twenty years, rising to 11% excluding the Covid years. The Secretary emphasised the federal government’s proactive steps, together with doubling the variety of airports and implementing schemes like UDAN.
Alexis VIDAL, chief business officer, ATR Regional Aircraft, supplied insights into the success of regional connectivity in India. VIDAL highlighted ATR’s important contribution to metropolis pairing, a vital facet of regional air mobility. “In the past five years, our aircraft have contributed to creating more than 200 new city pairs across India,” VIDAL acknowledged. He emphasised that this quantity surpasses the routes opened by all different jet plane mixed. ATR’s success in India is attributed to its plane’s skill to function on skinny routes with reasonable demand and unrivalled economics. VIDAL additionally revealed future potential, citing analysis figuring out alternatives for a further 300 new metropolis pairs, doubtlessly including 80 million annual passengers in regional air transportation.
Remi Maillard, chairman – FICCI Civil Aviation Committee and president & MD, Airbus – South Asia & India, emphasised the significance of regional air mobility for India’s aviation progress. He highlighted India’s preferrred market situations for regional connectivity, citing its geography, demographics, and financial progress. He famous UDAN’s success in connecting underserved airports and fostering new enterprise fashions, whereas acknowledging challenges resembling infrastructure limitations and the necessity for continued authorities help to guarantee viability.
