India’s aviation sector poised for major expansion: Union Minister Jitendra Singh
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday stressed that India’s aviation sector is poised for rapid growth over the next decade.
He highlighted the key role of institutions like the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in supporting the government’s "whole-of-government approach" with strong private-sector participation.
Speaking after the virtual inauguration of the HAP Airframe Fabrication Facility and NAviMet here, Singh said the government has been very forthcoming in engaging the private sector to the maximum extent.
"Most of the success stories written over the last 10 to 11 years of Prime Minister Modi’s tenure can be attributed to the involvement and participation of the private sector. This is true across fields—biotechnology, vaccines, the first-ever antibiotics—all developed with private-sector engagement. The same applies to space," he said, citing the recent Skyroot launch.
Referring to CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories’ (CSIR-NAL) two-seater trainer aircraft Hansa-3, Singh recalled being present at the technology-transfer ceremony held in New Delhi in April this year and expressed satisfaction with the pace of progress.
"Today, we are witnessing the aircraft actually being developed. Within just five or six months, the pioneer team has achieved remarkable progress, and they have truly been pioneers in this field," he said.
Noting that India’s civil aviation sector is expanding rapidly, the minister said it is estimated that by 2027, the country will handle around six crore passengers.
Recalling Prime Minister Modi’s early remark that "Hawai chappal wala Hawai jahaj mein chalega (The man wearing hawai chappals will fly in an aeroplane)," Singh said the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme was launched to make that vision possible. He added that an ecosystem that is cost-effective and inclusive is essential.
"Accordingly, the number of airports has increased significantly. In 2014, when this government took office, there were only about 69–70 airports. Today, we have more than 130. The number of aircraft will also need to rise accordingly," he said.
According to Singh, the requirement for pilots is also increasing.
Current projections indicate that in the next 10 years, India may need an additional 200 to 300 aircraft to serve new routes emerging every day.
The minister also inaugurated the SARAS Mk II Iron Bird Test Facility and unveiled the Hansa-3 (NG) Production Standard Aircraft, which he said marks a major breakthrough, aligns with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission and will help reduce dependence on foreign sources.
He also attended the signing of a collaboration agreement with industry partner Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd, Nagpur, for CSIR’s loitering-munition UAV development.
"Currently, we have around 6,000 to 7,000 pilots in the country. But with the rapid expansion of routes and aircraft, we may need 25,000 to 30,000 pilots in the next decade. This is a huge jump. We must scale up; otherwise, we will continue to depend on foreign sources. This again aligns with the mantra of Aatmanirbhar Bharat," he said.
Singh added that even small aircraft require 25–30 pilots due to rotation needs, while major jets require more than 30.
"In this context, both NAL and Pioneer deserve appreciation. They have been pioneering not only in aircraft development but also in motivating several others to enter this field, which is emerging as a new avenue for livelihood and entrepreneurship. With an investment of Rs 150 crore, NAL has committed to producing 100 aircraft annually," he said.
He welcomed NAL’s work on high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles designed for high-altitude platforms, with trials planned up to 20 km altitude by 2027, and its ongoing collaboration with the Solar Group and the DRISHTI aerosol laboratory programme.
Stressing the need for public outreach, Singh said NAL must enhance its visibility. "We have to reach out to people in the language they understand, because this is the power of media and social media—reels and short videos watched by younger audiences," he said, urging the institute to form a creative social-media team involving both scientists and communication experts.
"Since you are undertaking a whole-of-government endeavour, you require a team that reflects that spirit—scientists and creatives working together to ensure we reach those who need this information. Through these initiatives, we are simultaneously catering to scientists, defence forces, the lower middle class and potential investors," Singh added.
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Russian military hardware, spare parts for Indian military to be manufactured in India
New Delhi (PTI): Russia agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of military hardware and spare parts for maintenance of Russian-origin arms and defence equipment.
Ways to bolster overall bilateral defence cooperation figured prominently during summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
It has been a long-standing grievance of armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time, affecting the maintenance of military systems procured from that country.
"Both sides agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components, aggregates and other products for maintenance of Russian origin arms and defence equipment under Make-in-India programme through transfer of technology," a joint statement said.
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It said both sides also agreed to set up joint ventures for meeting the needs of the Indian armed forces as well as subsequent export to mutually friendly third countries.
The joint statement said the India-Russia defence partnership is being reoriented to take up joint co-development and co-production of advanced defence technology and systems.
In their meeting on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov resolved to expand bilateral defence cooperation.
In the meeting, the Indian side showed keen interest in procurement of additional batches of S-400 missile systems from Moscow to bolster its combat prowess.
In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
The S-400 systems played a crucial role during Operation Sindoor. India may also look at procuring the S-500 missile systems from Russia.
In the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides also agreed to continue jointly developing systems of bilateral trade settlements through the use of national currencies.
Additionally, the two sides agreed to continue their consultations on enabling the interoperability of the national payment systems, financial messaging systems, as well as central bank digital currency platforms.
Modi and Putin appreciated the ongoing intensification of the joint work on a free trade agreement on goods between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, covering sectors of mutual interest, the joint statement said.
They also directed both sides to intensify efforts in negotiations on a mutually beneficial agreement on the promotion and protection of investment, it said.
India and Russia also welcomed steps to ensure long-term supply of fertilisers to India and discussed the potential establishment of joint ventures in this area.
