India has become the third-largest aviation market in the world and is growing rapidly, with the number of airports increasing to 147 from just 74 in 2014, President Droupadi Murmu said.
In her first address to the joint sitting of India’s Parliament on Tuesday, Murmu said the country’s aviation sector is also growing rapidly.
“The number of airports in the country has increased to 147 from 74 in 2014. Today India has become the third-largest aviation market in the world,” she said.
Aviation industry in India
The Udan Yojana – the government’s ambitious regional air connectivity scheme – has played an important role in this regard, with Udan flights carrying around 11.5 million passengers over the last six years, the President said.
Meanwhile, the Economic Survey presented by the finance ministry, said the country’s civil aviation sector has great potential owing to growing demand from the middle class, higher disposable incomes and favourable demographics.
Air travel has rebounded with the lifting of the coronavirus pandemic-related curbs, according to the Economic Survey.
While in FY21, there was a considerable decline in air traffic — a fall of 54 percent — and passenger traffic handled — a decrease of 66 percent — last financial year witnessed a recovery.
“The current financial year has further shown a rebound, with both passenger and cargo movement close to the pre-Covid-19 levels. The total number of passengers carried in December 2022 stood at 15.01 million, which was 106.4 percent of the pre-Covid level, the survey said.
During November 2022, total air cargo tonnage stood at 250,000 MT, which is 89 percent of the pre-Covid levels, the survey said.
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