Unlocking India's aviation potential: A path to economic growth and job creation
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com .)
India is home to a growing, confident young population, and a vibrant startup ecosystem driving consumption and innovation at scale. There's an air about India. So, it's no surprise that Indian aviation , with millions of aspirational air passengers and more than 1,350 commercial aircraft in the order pipeline, has the world's attention.According to IATA, more than 4.4 bn passengers travelled by air in 2023, along with $8 tn worth of global trade - 33% of total by value. Nearly 60% of global tourists arrive by plane, making an economic contribution of $27.1 bn, and supporting 5 mn people in India. And each flight - of which there are more than 35 mn each year - requires dozens of crews, engineers, caterers, ground-handlers and other trained staff to make it happen.UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) declared that investment in air connectivity has a multiplier effect of 3.1 to GDP, and each aviation job creates 6.1 others. According to Air Transport Action Group's (ATAG) '2024 Aviation: Benefits Beyond Borders', the sector supports 86.5 mn global jobs and contributes $4.1 tn, 3.9% of the global economy. In India, according to IATA, overall contribution of aviation is 7.7 mn jobs and $53.6 bn to GDP.The 2022 privatisation of Air India, along with IndiGo, the emergence of two sizeable, well-capitalised and professionally-run local airlines set the direction for Indian aviation. Their combined aircraft order book, valued at well over $150 bn, leaves no doubt as to ambition and commitment. As does massive investment, both public and private, in India's aviation infrastructure, including doubling of operational airports from 74 to 159 in just the last decade, and the imminent opening of second airports in Delhi and Mumbai.It is, nevertheless, remarkable that, even as India surpasses 350 mn annual air travellers and becomes the world's third-largest domestic air travel market , most of its opportunity lies ahead. With a country of 1.4 bn people and 6.5% annual GDP growth, yet an intensity of air travel 1/5th that of China, potential demand is enormous.India has long punched well below its weight, operating a fraction of the long-haul fleet of even some city-states. As this situation is addressed, and more non-stop flights are added between India and the world's major cities, global air travel flows will be reshaped.There is opportunity to better serve, and draw back to Indian carriers, the 35-mn-strong Indian diaspora. And, then, there's opportunity for India to connect the world. 130 mn international travellers fly over India each year, with many connecting through an airport nearby. The right combination of network, customer experience and value for money, coupled with increasing business and tourism allure, can shift the centre of aviation gravity and steer more economic benefit toward Indian soil.But success is not inevitable. Realising India's opportunity will require sustained and aligned effort. Investment by airlines and airports must continue on aircraft, product, people and customers, as well as on supporting infrastructure, such as training and maintenance.Critical aviation enablers - such as air navigation system providers, immigration and customs services - all need to plan for the growth ahead and build capacity and efficiency to accommodate what will be a step-change in volume. National and state policy affecting ease, clarity and cost of doing business must draw from the world's best practice, as must application of regulation and deployment of technology. Coordination of all the pieces must be effective, consistent and aligned to a decades-long roadmap.It won't be easy. But examples of what happens when the key cards are played right are nearby and there for all to see. Equally, one need not look too far, in either distance or time, to see the opposite. Aviation can be an even larger engine and catalyst of India's national development.The writer is CEO-MD, Air India
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rashmika Mandanna, Deepika Padukone among India's top celebrity investors in Candere Hurun list
Indian film stars are no longer just the face of brands, they are increasingly becoming the force behind them. The 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List has spotlighted a new wave of Bollywood women, including Rashmika Mandanna and Deepika Padukone, who are turning their massive digital influence into strategic startup investments, signalling a significant shift in India's consumer and entrepreneurial landscape. Unveiled on Wednesday, the list — curated by Candere and Hurun India — honours 97 women across nine categories including wealth creation, philanthropy, sports, and arts. One of the standout segments is the 'Most Followed Celebrity Investors' list, which ranks women stars based on their Instagram following and investment activity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now Undo Rashmika Mandanna, with 46.1 million followers, is the youngest celebrity investor in the top 10. She has invested in clean beauty and personal care brand Plum, a move that aligns her image with ethical and eco-conscious consumerism. Deepika Padukone, ranked fifth with 80.2 million followers, has co-founded skincare brand 82°E and production house KA Productions, focusing her entrepreneurial energy on wellness and content creation. 'The 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List recognises ten of the most influential women who have redefined stardom through a blend of creativity, entrepreneurship, and massive digital presence,' the Hurun Research Institute said in the report. 'These women have entertained millions and turned their fame into powerful ventures, launching beauty lines, fashion brands, and production houses.' Other prominent names on the list include Priyanka Chopra, who commands 92.4 million Instagram followers and has co-founded Purple Pebble Pictures and Anomaly Haircare, expanding her presence across entertainment and sustainable beauty. Alia Bhatt, with 86.3 million followers, is the founder of Ed-a-Mamma, a sustainable clothing brand for children. Live Events Katrina Kaif, who has 80.3 million followers, co-founded the widely popular makeup label Kay Beauty. Anushka Sharma, followed by 69.1 million users, has launched both the fashion label Nush and the production house Clean Slate Filmz. Disha Patani, with 61.3 million followers, has invested in South Indian snack brand V.S. Mani & Co. Kriti Sanon, who has a follower base of 58.5 million, is the co-founder of Hyphen, a fashion-meets-sustainability brand. Sara Ali Khan, with 45.5 million followers, has invested in The Souled Store, a youth lifestyle brand. 'This is the beginning of a movement,' said Sanjay Raghuraman, Managing Director at Candere. 'Together with Hurun India, we envision this platform evolving into a dynamic community of changemakers — a collective of India's most inspiring women leaders.' Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder and Chief Researcher of Hurun India, noted, 'Indian women are no longer waiting to lead — they are driving India's economic, social, and cultural renaissance.' As celebrity capital matures in India, these women are not merely endorsing brands but are actively shaping their trajectory, taking board seats, launching founder-led ventures, and building equity-driven partnerships. With Rashmika Mandanna, Deepika Padukone, and others at the helm, the convergence of influence, innovation, and investment is redefining what leadership looks like in the age of digital entrepreneurship. Also read | Rs 43,000 crore selloff by promoters! Insider exits flash warning sign for Nifty bulls
Business Standard
24 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Radico Khaitan jumps 11% in seven days
Radico Khaitan rallied 1.54% to Rs 2,710.95, extending gains for the seventh consecutive trading session. Shares of Radico Khaitan surged 11.07% in seven trading sessions from its recent closing low of Rs 2,440.65 on 26 May 2025. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 2,790 today. The counter has soared 89.72% from its 52-week low of Rs 1,428.95 hit on 26 May 2024. On the BSE, 0.46 lakh shares have been traded so far, compared with average daily volumes of 0.11 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had outperformed the market over the past month, rising 7.02% as against the Sensex's 0.24% rise. The scrip had outperformed the market in the past three months, jumping 28.76% as against a 9.85% rise in Sensex. The counter had also outperformed the market in the past year, soaring 72.47% as against Sensex's 12.37% increase. On the technical front, the stock's daily RSI (relative strength index) stood at 69.584. The RSI oscillates between zero and 100. Traditionally, the RSI is considered overbought when above 70 and oversold when below 30. On the daily chart, the stock was trading above its 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day simple moving average (SMA), placed at 2,452.52, 2,318.75, and 2,268.44, respectively. These levels will act as crucial support zones in the near term. Radico Khaitan is among the oldest and one of the largest manufacturers of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) in India. It is one of the few companies in India to have developed its entire brand portfolio organically. The company's standalone net profit jumped 59.76% to Rs 90.71 crore on a 20.9% rise in net sales to Rs 1,304.08 crore in Q4 FY25 over Q4 FY24.
Hindustan Times
26 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Andy Flower took RCB job because an empty trophy cabinet ‘excited' him; now, he walks the talk with champion's medal
Over a year ago, when Andy Flower became head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the team was still striving to overcome years of missed opportunities. The women's team had just lifted their maiden Women's Premier League title under Smriti Mandhana. However, rather than being under heightened pressure to deliver, Flower relished the challenge, indicating that it was among the major reasons he signed up for the role in the first place. 'It is one of the main reasons I wanted to take this job,' he told Hindustan TImes last year. 'It gives me a very exciting opportunity to see if we can do something special with RCB.' Flower was locked in on the title even before his RCB debut as head coach. And one year on, he delivered. For a team synonymous with near-misses, flamboyant stars, and a 'Royally Loyal' fanbase – as Virat Kohli called them after the title win – Flower's arrival marked the beginning of a fundamental shift. Not just in results, but in the ethos of how RCB built and played their cricket. One of the words Flower repeatedly used during his interaction with this publication was 'simplifying' the process. Whether it be on the field, or off it. And after the 2024 season, he put that philosophy into action, starting anew and transforming the approach from the ground up. RCB had long operated by banking on familiar names and legacy reputations, a pitfall the franchise had historically succumbed to. During the mid-2010s, the Virat Kohli-AB de Villiers-Chris Gayle trio defined RCB's brand – dazzling, star-studded, but flawed. The team was too top-heavy, often lacking depth in bowling and flexibility in tactics. Under Flower, the 2025 auction signalled a clean break from that template. Despite Indian heavyweights like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer being up for grabs, RCB resisted the temptation. Instead, they built a squad around role clarity, targeting versatile, experienced, and rather unglamorous names who fit the team's strategic needs. "The opportunity of winning a tournament is right there in front of us, but my personal view of taking on a challenge like that is always simplifying the route,' Flower told this publication. They invested in an Indian core of Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Suyash Sharma, and put their faith in overseas players like Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd. Most of these weren't headline-making buys, but they were handpicked with a clear thought process. Each of them played defining roles at various stages of RCB's victorious campaign. 'I thought we did beautifully in picking a very balanced squad, knowing what sort of players we want and which player would fit in which role. As we were picking the team, we used to put players in certain roles and see how they fit,' Dinesh Karthik, the side's mentor, had said about the squad. RCB left many in shock when they let go of Will Jacks at the auction. It was a gutsy move, but Phil Salt repaid the faith with a string of explosive starts. The backroom team's approach also extended beyond auction-day calls. When Devdutt Padikkal was ruled out due to injury, the management opted for Mayank Agarwal, a seasoned campaigner with recent domestic form. Agarwal's 41* in a crucial chase against LSG, alongside Jitesh Sharma's whirlwind 85*, vindicated RCB's decision. In the final, almost every batter in RCB's lineup played a stop-start knock, with Mayank also contributing with an important 24. Even off the field, the environment Flower sought to create was deliberate. As Bobat explained, "For Andy and I, creating a sort of environment where people feel safe, where they feel backed, where they feel like they're accountable for their own decisions, and where they're able to hopefully showcase their strengths – that's the key bit," said Bobat. One of the boldest moves RCB made this season was handing the captaincy reins to Rajat Patidar. The decision raised eyebrows, as the franchise handed the captaincy to a player with no significant leadership pedigree at this level. But it worked. Patidar grew into the role, commanding respect through consistency and calmness. Flower and Bobat were careful in assembling a group that didn't revolve around one or two leaders. That reflected in the side's performances, too, with almost every game seeing different players emerging to lift RCB to victories. The result was a team that did not panic. Whether it was bouncing back from early defeats, surviving close chases, or defending tight totals, RCB this season never looked rattled. Their bowling unit, once seen as a liability in the previous seasons, held its nerve in crunch moments. Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood brought control with the new ball, while Krunal and Shepherd proved valuable as utility players. In the final against Punjab Kings, RCB defended 191 with a performance that mirrored the very philosophy Flower had instilled. Calm, clinical, unflinching. In many ways, this wasn't just RCB's title. It was Andy Flower's vindication. A reminder that behind every trophy is a system: a mix of right people, right roles, and the right temperament. What made this triumph even sweeter was how it looped back to Flower's initial words, when he confidently declared that joining a side with no IPL title is an 'exciting' prospect. That hunger to chase the unfinished made all the difference.
