Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Government pushes 'Train in India, Fly in India' aircraft plan
India wants to train more pilots and build its own training airplanes.
The government's plan is called 'Train in India, Fly in India.'
Officials say India will need about 25,000 extra pilots by 2035.
That means issuing about 2,500 new pilot licences every year.
The government gave Letters of Intent to 11 new flying schools, which are expected to train 750 more students each year.
A factory in Hisar will build trainer planes with a company called Diamond Aircraft Industries.
Another company, HAL, is making more HTT-40 planes for the Indian Air Force.
The government also launched an app to help flying schools book their training slots more easily.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced a push to build a domestic manufacturing ecosystem for trainer aircraft and seaplanes under a 'Train in India, Fly in India' vision.
Letters of Intent were awarded to 11 new Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) setting up training bases at seven AAI airports, expected to add 750 cadets per year to pilot training capacity.
Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said India needs about 25,000 additional pilots by 2035, requiring around 2,500 commercial pilot licences issued every year.
Budget 2026–27 measures exempt basic customs duty on components for civilian and training aircraft and propose incentives plus viability gap funding for indigenous seaplane manufacturing.
A private trainer aircraft facility in Hisar, Haryana, set up with Diamond Aircraft Industries, targets local assembly of about 100 DA40 NG aircraft annually, while HAL is ramping up HTT-40 output to around 20 aircraft per year.
- Who
- Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced the initiative, with Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha outlining demand projections, supported by agencies including DGCA and AAI.
- What
- A government push to indigenise the manufacturing of trainer aircraft and seaplanes and rapidly expand pilot training capacity in India.
- When
- Announced on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, building on Budget 2026–27 policy measures.
- Where
- India — Letters of Intent were handed over at a function in the national capital, and a trainer aircraft manufacturing facility is being set up in Hisar, Haryana.
- Why
- To meet an estimated demand for 25,000 additional pilots by 2035, support rapid airline fleet growth, and improve last-mile and remote connectivity.
- Announcement date
- Wednesday, August 5, 2026
- New FTOs
- 11 Letters of Intent awarded at seven AAI airports
- Pilot demand
- 25,000 additional pilots estimated by 2035
- Aircraft on order
- 1,640 aircraft ordered by Indian airlines
- Fleet induction
- About 500 aircraft expected in the next five years
- CPL licences issued
- 1,652 in 2025, up from 1,347 in 2024
- Hisar trainer facility
- About 100 DA40 NG aircraft annually with Diamond Aircraft Industries
- HAL HTT-40 output
- Around 20 aircraft per year for the Indian Air Force