India aviation.
As India looks to expand the aviation sector, the focus on Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) and the resultant pilot output assumes significance as hundreds of aircraft are expected to be inducted in the years ahead. To this end, the Ministry of Civil Aviation recently awarded letters of intent for the establishment of 11 FTOs across seven Airports Authority of India (AAI) airports.
Forty-one Flying Training Organisations are currently operating from 63 flying bases across the country. With the addition of these 11 new FTOs across seven AAI airports, India's annual pilot training capacity is expected to increase by 750 cadets per year, providing a substantial boost to the domestic training ecosystem and operational utilization.
There has been a significant improvement in pilot output as well. According to the government, the number of Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) issued increased from 1,347 in 2024 to 1,652 in 2025, the highest number issued in the last decade, with 2026 expected to witness a further increase.
The government has projected that India will require around 30,000-34,000 pilots over the next 10-15 years to support the induction of around 2,000 aircraft by India's airlines.
Varun Mittal, Founder & Director, VCRAFT International Pvt. Ltd. said, "Meeting the unprecedented growth in aircraft requires a strong domestic pipeline of trained aviation professionals. The rapid expansion of India's pilot-training ecosystem is a positive development for the broader aviation industry, including the private charter segment. With airlines and charter operators expected to expand their fleets in response to rising demand for business and leisure travel, a larger pool of trained pilots will be critical to supporting sustainable growth. New FTOs, increased annual training slots, alongside rising CPL issuance and greater utilisation of training aircraft, will strengthen the domestic aviation talent pipeline. For private aviation, this can improve workforce availability and support the sector's transition towards a more robust and scalable operating ecosystem."
To support this FTO expansion, VCRAFT Pilot Training Academy has also introduced a dedicated scholarship and financial assistance programme, offering eligible students up to 100% scholarships and financial support towards their pilot training. The initiative is aimed at making professional pilot training more accessible and strengthening India's domestic pipeline of trained aviation professionals, Mittal added.
The government has in the past initiated several policy reforms to encourage pilot training, including liberalisation of the FTO policy, abolition of airport royalties and rationalisation of land rentals. The process of CPL examination has also been digitized.
The FTOs, one among the 11 proposed in Dholera, Gujarat, will provide the much-needed boost to aviation ecosystem in the region where an international airport is in final stages of completion. The industrial infrastructure developments in Dholera, with estimates suggesting close to Rs 6 lakh crore of investment, have spiked the interest of investors in the region.
Dholera-based real estate developer Aaiji Group MD Lalit Parihar said the proposed FTO at Dholera establishes the region as a primary node for aerospace education, maintenance, and flight operations, thereby opening up further avenues for real estate demand.
"Aviation projects possess a unique economic multiplier effect. The influx of flight academies, technical crews, and student pilots creates an immediate, recurring demand for premium co-living, hospitality, and commercial real estate. The FTO can create an additional demand catalyst for the Dholera ecosystem, particularly for co-living, hospitality and commercial real estate, as flight academies, students and aviation professionals establish a recurring presence in the region. Over time, this could strengthen rental demand and support the broader real estate market along the smart city corridor."
Aaiji Group recently announced its plans to launch 1.35 million sq. ft. of residential and commercial projects in Dholera by December 2026 reinforcing its long-term commitment to the region's growth.
As the country continues to witness unprecedented growth in the aviation sector, strengthening the entire aviation ecosystem - from FTOs and pilot licensing to commercial and private aviation - is becoming increasingly important to support economic activity, strengthen regional integration and help India confidently advance towards its vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
