India needs 30000 pilots in 20 years: Civil Aviation Minister

K Rammohan Naidu, the Minister of Civil Aviation, said on Tuesday that India will need 30,000 pilots in the next 15 to 20 years as domestic airlines expand their network with more than 1,700 planes on order. He assured that the ministry is sitting together for the aviation sector and that officials were validating various aspects of 38 Flying Training Organizations (FTOs), which would then be rated.

 The minister was addressing an event to mark the signing of an MOU for an order for 200 trainer aircraft. Naidu noted that Indian airlines have ordered over 1,700 aircraft and currently operate some 800 planes. At present, there are between 6,000 and 7,000 pilots active, and the country will need 30,000 more in the next 15 to 20 years," the minister said while also requesting India to become a training hub. India, according to him, is the fastest-growing civil aviation market in the world. According to the minister, attempts are being made to classify airports, including separate cargo and FTO airports.

According to Naidu, Indian airlines have placed orders for over 1,700 aircraft, with more than 800 in operation right now. Presently, there are 6,000 and 7,000 working pilots, which means that in 15 to 20 years the country will need 30,000 pilots, said the minister, who also pitched for making India a training hub. India is one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world. The minister said that efforts are being made toward a classification of airports, including the possibility of having dedicated airports for cargo and FTOs.