India's aviation sector set for exponential growth
The airports of tomorrow are embracing cutting-edge technology to enhance the entire travel experience. Facial recognition, biometric scans, and AI-driven security checks will become the norm, making the journey from check-in to boarding gate smoother and reducing passenger queuing time by 30-40 per cent. India's remarkable aviation trajectory—now the world's third-largest domestic market, contributes 1.5 per cent to the national GDP and supports 7.7 million jobs. Over the last decade, more than 85 airports have been developed, with a roadmap to scale that number to 350 by 2047 in line with the Viksit Bharat goal. Strengthening digital ecosystems to manage rising cybersecurity risks has also been identified as a crucial area of focus. With over $12 billion already invested in air transport infrastructure, India is setting its sights on capturing a $4 billion share of the global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) market by 2031, with the aim of establishing itself as a self-reliant aviation hub. Integrated multi-modal transport systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered digital initiatives and net zero terminals are pivotal for creating globally benchmarked, passenger-centric infrastructure.
By adopting AI, Machine Learning (ML), RFID, and advanced passenger Information systems, India's aviation sector can shift from manual checks to smarter, targeted interventions. This transformation will make the aviation infrastructure more secure and passenger-friendly, which are both essential for the future of the country's aviation. However, there is a need to build infrastructure that is resilient, adaptive and efficient. Greenfield airports offer the luxury of blank canvas while brownfield sites may face constraints for unique, smart and adaptive design solutions. It is said that the future lies in modular construction, digital first terminal cores that centralize operations, passenger movement and energy management. For that, early-stage collaborations are critical. Further, drawing insights from operations, policy shifts, and tech trends helps avoid costly course corrections. There is also a need for a terminal design language rooted in sustainability, with built-in readiness for climate volatility, aging demographics, rapid digital changes and hybrid spaces that can handle intensity and downtime with equal ease. Aligning this vision with financial models that attract private investment is the key to delivering aviation infrastructure that's future-ready and locally responsive.
On the workforce front, India is fast emerging as a global aviation talent hub. But it still faces a significant manpower gap. While pilot eligibility has widened, training for cabin crew and ground staff remains limited to in-house airline programmes. Opening this up to universities and private institutes is the key to scaling talent and meeting both domestic and international demand. With inclusive frameworks and the right incentives, India can not only bridge its local workforce shortage but also position itself as a global training destination, strengthening the country's role in the international aviation ecosystem. Furthermore, given the market dynamics, the aviation sector in India is set for rapid expansion. With under 10 per cent of the population currently flying, the sector needs to prepare for exponential growth by scaling up operations with smart, cost-efficient technologies. The rapid pace of innovation in this space is not only enhancing domestic operations but creating airport solutions the world is now adopting. India has a real opportunity to transform its aviation ecosystem by 2047 when the country celebrates its 100 years of Independence.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Indian Express
Fuel for a green Viksit Bharat
India's aspiration to be 'viksit' by the centenary year of its independence, while adhering to the net zero carbon emissions target for 2070, needs a strategy for sustained per capita energy use. The strategy also needs to focus on achieving a Human Development Index of 0.95, which is characteristic of advanced countries, and provide clean energy for this purpose. This corresponds to around 28,000 TWh of total energy annually. The available clean energy sources to address this need are renewable energy, large hydro power and nuclear. Among them, nuclear energy's contribution would need to be at least around 20,000 TWh annually since the other two together are unlikely to exceed 8,000 TWh. Today, India consumes around 9,800 TWh annually with around 96 per cent coming from fossil resources. Clean energy needs to increase 70 times and around 70 per cent of it needs to come from nuclear in 45 years. After Independence, Homi Bhabha had advocated a three-stage nuclear power programme aimed at long term energy security and autonomy for the country. We seem to be losing that focus. Surely, there are constraints and challenges, some of which are external. However, a sharper focus on our end goal, despite the strong foreign vendor-driven narratives that seem to be gaining currency of late, is something we cannot afford to lose sight of. Any nuclear programme has to necessarily begin with uranium — the only natural source of fissionable material. While our uranium resources were modest to begin with, the emphasis on exploration has led to an increase in stocks. The ore grades, however, are very low. These reserves, despite the higher cost they entail, are a key source of energy security, especially in a situation when uranium imports are disrupted. Access to foreign uranium markets has enabled the first-stage nuclear programme to grow well beyond 10 GWe, a threshold that was envisaged earlier. However, the second-stage programme of fast breeder reactors is yet to take off. We must, however, celebrate our domestic pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs), the proven and competitive technology that meets global benchmarks. While the 100 GWe nuclear mission launched by the government would still leave us about twentyfold below the nuclear capacity required for a net zero 'Viksit Bharat', realising it within the specified timeframe requires accelerated deployment. This, in turn, depends essentially on proven technologies — domestic PHWRs being the primary workhorse, supplemented by proven large light water reactors (LWRs). We must also bring in multiple deployment agencies, beyond NPCIL and now NTPC. The PHWR technology must be seen as a common national good and made available to potential domestic agencies for accelerated deployment with a mentoring approach. Efforts to minimise the costs are necessary in the case of LWRs by following the Make in India approach. 100 GWe capacity would need around 20,000 tons of uranium annually. This could be around 15 per cent of global uranium production. Given the constraints of geopolitics as well as potential demand-supply mismatch in a growing nuclear energy scenario, this may well become a major energy security challenge of a dimension that is more serious compared to oil and gas today. The three-stage programme, which involves recycling nuclear fuel, enables 60-70 times more energy from the same quantity of mined fuel. A quick shift from mined uranium to recycled uranium and plutonium in fast reactors has thus become an energy security imperative. In view of the delay in deploying fast breeder reactors (FBRs), irradiating thorium, of which we have the largest reserves, in our PHWRs has become crucial. That we are now leveraging much greater quantities of uranium than envisaged earlier also enables large-scale introduction of thorium in our PHWRs. This would help us in preparing to address the energy security challenge by recycling thorium-based spent fuel in molten salt reactors (MSR) and advance the third stage despite delays in the second stage. While the plan to introduce thorium in fast reactors to lead us into the third stage should continue, this would enable a faster route to thorium MSRs. One could also link high-power GeV range proton accelerators with subcritical systems based on such configurations to facilitate capacity growth. SMRs, which are dominating the narrative today, would take at least two decades to mature before deployment at scale can begin. Not only is this inconsistent with the 2047 timeline, the uranium required will also be harder to access at that time. Instead, we would be better off devoting our R&D resources to developing thorium MSR-based SMRs as well as other technologies relevant to the second and third stage that would take us closer to our thorium goal. High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) and irradiation qualification of thorium fuel for high burn-up performance are prerequisites to introducing thorium in PHWRs. They also have several advantages with respect to economics, safety, waste management and proliferation resistance — the move would be attractive without any significant change in the reactor. HALEU is also fast becoming the choice for many advanced power reactor systems just as it has become so for research reactors. This is an area for international cooperation benefiting not just India but also the emerging economy countries. ANEEL fuel, which is under development, aims to achieve just that. One should expect the 100 GWe nuclear mission to be a forerunner to the much larger nuclear energy deployment necessary for net zero Viksit Bharat and not reach a virtual dead end. The writer, a nuclear scientist, was director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Rajesh Shukla: India's growth is impressive but let's universalize the gains
India's climb towards becoming the world's fourth-largest national economy is a defining moment in its development journey. With a national income of ₹336 trillion and aggregate household savings of ₹84 trillion, the country is gaining recognition not just as a large market, but as a rising economic power. Yet, while the numbers impress globally, the reality within reveals an important challenge: ensuring this growth enhances the disposable income and financial well-being of all Indians. Estimates based on data from the PRICE ICE 360° survey offer valuable insights into how income, consumption, savings and debt are distributed across households. It reveals that India is not one economy, but three. Also Read: Rajesh Shukla: It takes granular data to grasp Indian savings behaviour At the top, the richest 20% of households account for ₹155 trillion in income, save ₹57 trillion and consume just 63.6% of what they earn. In stark contrast, the bottom 20% earn ₹22 trillion but spend ₹23 trillion, resulting in negative savings and the highest debt-to-income ratio of 15.4%. The middle 60%, earning ₹159 trillion and saving ₹28 trillion, are the backbone of consumption but remain economically vulnerable. These numbers highlight a macro-micro disconnect. India's 25% household saving rate and 11.9% average debt burden appear healthy in aggregate, but are deeply unequal in distribution. Without corrective action, this imbalance could undermine both financial resilience and the long-term stability needed to realize Viksit Bharat, India's vision of becoming a fully developed economy by 2047. To bridge this gap, policymakers must shift their focus from redistribution to empowerment. For the bottom 20%, this means increasing earning capacity through job creation, skilling and formalization. For middle India, it means expanding access to affordable insurance, pension schemes and tax-friendly savings tools. For the top 20%, the principal challenge is ensuring their disposable income is directed toward productive and inclusive investments—infrastructure, climate innovation and capital markets that strengthen national development. Also Read: As India's consumption landscape evolves, we must strengthen our economic recovery India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)—comprising Aadhaar, Unified Payments Interface, Jan Dhan and the Open Network for Digital Commerce—provides the foundation to deliver these changes at scale. Already used to disburse benefits and enable digital transactions, DPI can now evolve to support personalized financial products, improve credit visibility and build trust among informal earners. This inclusivity is not just a policy imperative—it's also an investment thesis. For investors, both domestic and global, the most compelling opportunities lie not in India's already-saturated top tier, but in the middle and lower segments, where unmet demand for credit, healthcare, insurance and education remains vast. The middle 60% present a sweet spot. With an income of ₹159 trillion and rising digital adoption, they are underserved but aspirational. Fintech solutions tailored to their risk tolerance, low-cost health-tech and vernacular ed-tech platforms can unlock sustainable long-term returns. Meanwhile, the bottom 20%, though often overlooked, represent the future of inclusive financial markets—especially through microfinance, rural distribution and community-based innovations. Also Read: Kaushik Basu: Redefine prosperity; GDP tunnel-vision could prove costly The top 20% will continue to seek global investment products and premium services. But India's structural growth will come from businesses and investors that move 'down-market' with purpose—driven not just by reach, but by relevance. India's capital markets and financial institutions have a unique opportunity to support inclusive entrepreneurship and innovation. This dual narrative—of a rising GDP and persistent household-level fragility—should also reshape how international observers engage with India. While India is increasingly seen as a strategic counterweight in Asia and a digital innovator, global policymakers and development institutions must also recognize the complexity beneath the surface. A young, largely informal and multilingual democracy that is digitizing and industrializing at the same time presents unique development challenges—and solutions. International businesses entering India must go beyond urban centres and adapt products for affordability, accessibility and cultural diversity. Development partners would find in India a test laboratory for scalable, tech-enabled inclusion models that can be applied globally, from micro-insurance and telemedicine to skilling and public digital infrastructure. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | India's GDP: A key test lies ahead At the heart of this shift is a simple but powerful idea: gross domestic product (GDP) milestones matter, but they are not enough. India's rise must be measured not just by how much it produces, but by how widely its disposable income supports real improvements in living standards. Broad-based progress is both a moral imperative and an economic necessity. A developed India is not just one where the top 20% invest confidently in markets—it is one where the middle 60% build assets and the bottom 20% live without the fear of debt traps or sudden income loss. This transformation will not come from growth alone. It will come from intentional inclusion, backed by smart policy, targeted investment and an unwavering focus on financial dignity for all. The next phase of India's journey will be defined not by how fast it grows, but by who grows with it. By aligning capital with inclusion, by making DPI work for every household and by supporting the informal majority with formal tools, India can truly set the global standard for development. In doing so, India will show the world that development is not just about size, but about shared prosperity. Viksit Bharat by 2047 is within reach. But to get there, India must now grow not only upward—but outward and across. The author is managing director and chief executive officer of People Research on India's Consumer Economy.
Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
India's aviation sector set for exponential growth
The airports of tomorrow are embracing cutting-edge technology to enhance the entire travel experience. Facial recognition, biometric scans, and AI-driven security checks will become the norm, making the journey from check-in to boarding gate smoother and reducing passenger queuing time by 30-40 per cent. India's remarkable aviation trajectory—now the world's third-largest domestic market, contributes 1.5 per cent to the national GDP and supports 7.7 million jobs. Over the last decade, more than 85 airports have been developed, with a roadmap to scale that number to 350 by 2047 in line with the Viksit Bharat goal. Strengthening digital ecosystems to manage rising cybersecurity risks has also been identified as a crucial area of focus. With over $12 billion already invested in air transport infrastructure, India is setting its sights on capturing a $4 billion share of the global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) market by 2031, with the aim of establishing itself as a self-reliant aviation hub. Integrated multi-modal transport systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered digital initiatives and net zero terminals are pivotal for creating globally benchmarked, passenger-centric infrastructure. By adopting AI, Machine Learning (ML), RFID, and advanced passenger Information systems, India's aviation sector can shift from manual checks to smarter, targeted interventions. This transformation will make the aviation infrastructure more secure and passenger-friendly, which are both essential for the future of the country's aviation. However, there is a need to build infrastructure that is resilient, adaptive and efficient. Greenfield airports offer the luxury of blank canvas while brownfield sites may face constraints for unique, smart and adaptive design solutions. It is said that the future lies in modular construction, digital first terminal cores that centralize operations, passenger movement and energy management. For that, early-stage collaborations are critical. Further, drawing insights from operations, policy shifts, and tech trends helps avoid costly course corrections. There is also a need for a terminal design language rooted in sustainability, with built-in readiness for climate volatility, aging demographics, rapid digital changes and hybrid spaces that can handle intensity and downtime with equal ease. Aligning this vision with financial models that attract private investment is the key to delivering aviation infrastructure that's future-ready and locally responsive. On the workforce front, India is fast emerging as a global aviation talent hub. But it still faces a significant manpower gap. While pilot eligibility has widened, training for cabin crew and ground staff remains limited to in-house airline programmes. Opening this up to universities and private institutes is the key to scaling talent and meeting both domestic and international demand. With inclusive frameworks and the right incentives, India can not only bridge its local workforce shortage but also position itself as a global training destination, strengthening the country's role in the international aviation ecosystem. Furthermore, given the market dynamics, the aviation sector in India is set for rapid expansion. With under 10 per cent of the population currently flying, the sector needs to prepare for exponential growth by scaling up operations with smart, cost-efficient technologies. The rapid pace of innovation in this space is not only enhancing domestic operations but creating airport solutions the world is now adopting. India has a real opportunity to transform its aviation ecosystem by 2047 when the country celebrates its 100 years of Independence.
