Speaking at the curtain raiser of Routes Asia 2027, the Civil Aviation Minister said this growth is supported by initiatives to boost regional connectivity, such as UDAN, which has become a global reference model.
The rapid growth of India’s civil aviation sector, driven by its young and aspirational population, is creating a situation where demand is outpacing supply, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has said.
“Over the last ten years, revenue passenger kilometres grew at a 7.3% CAGR, compared to 7.0% growth in available seat kilometres. For airlines, that means one thing: the market is growing faster than the seats available to serve,” Naidu stated on Tuesday while delivering his keynote address at the curtain raiser of the 24th edition of Routes Asia 2027, to be held in New Delhi.
Naidu said this growth is being supported by initiatives to boost regional connectivity, such as UDAN. The scheme, aimed at making aviation more accessible, available and affordable across the country, has become a global reference model, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) describing it as a “unique working model for stimulating regional air connectivity”.
“UDAN is being compared with frameworks such as the United States Essential Air Service Programme and the European Union’s Public Service Obligation Framework. I believe that Routes Asia 2027 is coming at the right time, in the right place, and carrying the right opportunity. There is room for more capacity, more airlines and more routes.”
Routes Asia is a leading international aviation conference dedicated to air service development across the Asia-Pacific region. It brings together airlines, airports, tourism authorities and aviation stakeholders to develop future route networks, share policy insights and shape connectivity strategies.
Driving Aviation Growth
Naidu said that, as part of its mission to establish India as the world’s third-largest aviation market, the country was aiming to increase passenger numbers nearly six-fold by 2047, from 24 crore currently to 130 crore, while nearly tripling the number of operational airports from 165 currently to up to 400 by 2047. He added that 66 airports were under development at various stages, while another 100 were in the pipeline over the next ten years.
“So 100 is more than the total number of airports combined in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Singapore. And it is like creating an aviation infrastructure which is equivalent to Malaysia or Myanmar in the next decade alone. That is the speed with which India’s aviation infrastructure is evolving.”
He invited the global aviation community to participate in Routes Asia 2027 and explore India’s diverse destinations and expanding aviation opportunities. The New Delhi edition of Routes Asia will be held from March 16-18, 2027 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, bringing together more than 115 leading airlines, representatives from over 55 countries and more than 2,500 face-to-face meetings.
The curtain raiser witnessed participation from representatives of 28 embassies, along with leading aviation stakeholders.