Noting that India has witnessed unprecedented transformation in the civil aviation sector over the past few years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that his government is working to build world-class airport infrastructure and that the success of the Udhan plan is the golden chapter of Indian civil aviation.
Addressing the 81st Annual Meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Prime Minister Modi said India is the third largest domestic aviation market in the world.
“In the past few years, India has witnessed unprecedented changes in the field of civil aviation. Today, India is the third largest domestic aviation market in the world. The success of Udansheem is the golden chapter of Indian civil aviation.
“There have been a lot of changes in India over the last 40 years. India is more confident than ever. In the global aviation ecosystem, we are not just a huge market, but also a symbol of policy leadership, innovation and inclusive development,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi said in 2014 the country had only 74 operating airports, more than 162 times the number.
“Indian airlines have also ordered more than 2,000 aircraft, marking the beginning of a transformative journey. The Indian aviation sector is now at an inflection point and is ready to soar to new heights.
Prime Minister Modi said India has a huge civil aviation market, with the advantages of demographics and technology and innovation talent.
“Today, we are at a fork where travel planning is limited not only to cities on Earth, but also to the extent that humans dream of commercialising spaceflight and interplanetary travel, and to open them for civil aviation.
“I mention that it is based on three powerful pillars of India. First, India has a market. This market is not just a group of consumers, but also a reflection of India’s ambitious society. Second, our youth have demographics and talent for demographics and innovation. We must take India’s aviation sector to new heights,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi said the speed of innovation and technology upgrades is much faster than before.
“Aviation, in addition to this summit, this dialogue is also a medium for global cooperation, climate commitment and a shared agenda of equitable growth.
What we are discussing at this summit will open up a new direction for global aviation. We are confident that we can capitalize on the infinite possibilities of this sector and use them in a better way,” Prime Minister Modi said.
“Today, we cover hundreds of kilometers of distances, a journey between continents in just a few hours. But our dreams of the world of the 21st century, our endless imagination, never stopped.
