'India Ready For Space And Interplanetary Travel', Says PM Modi; Eyes Global Hub Status For Aircraft Maintenance

India is ready to explore civil aviation to space and interplanetary travel, said prime minister Narendra Modi while pressing that India is not only an aviation market but a global aviation leader as it heads towards doubling the annual number of air travellers to 50 crore by 2030.

PM Modi addressed global aviation stakeholders during the World Air Transport Summit at the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 81st annual general meeting in New Delhi, an event hosted in India after 42 years. He assured the industry that India is in the favour of open skies and global connectivity.

While addressing the gathering, PM Modi shared the aspiration for the country to explore space travel and interplanetary travel along as an expansion of civil aviation. He claimed that India has a vast consumer market, demography and talent pool for innovation as well as industry-supportive policy.

“We are at a stage where our travel plans are not restricted to earth. Humans are planning on travelling to space and other planets, which will take time but shows the aspirations. India is ready to dive into this sector and explore space travel as well as interplanetary travel as a part of civil aviation. Our talented workforce and supportive policies for industry will take civil aviation to new heights,” he said.

The PM projected that Indian civil aviation will grow from 24 crore annual flyers currently to 50 crore by 2030 along with the rise in cargo operations from 3.5 million metric tons currently to 10 million metric tons by the end of the decade. He also claimed that Indian carriers have ordered more than 2,000 aircraft, calling it a beginning of a high flight. Commending DigiYatra as a pioneering example of digital aviation, he said such technologies serving India's huge population can also benefit many countries.

Presenting investment opportunities in India, PM Modi pressed on the country’s aspiration to become a global hub for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), a facility which looks after the safety and efficiency of the aircraft. He stated that the MRO facilities in India have grown from 96 in 2014 to 154 in 2025 and projected that the MRO market in India will grow to USD 4 billion by 2030 as 100% FDI under the automatic route, GST reduction, and tax rationalisation measures have given fresh momentum to the sector in India.

“India is committed to become a global manufacturing hub and will also become an integral part of the global supply chain. India has opened opportunities for aircraft leasing companies, which can explore benefits provided to them at GIFT City. India is progressing in the right direction and at the right pace,” he added, urging aviation companies to embrace ‘Design In India’ along with ‘Make In India’ to reinforce the country’s vision of leadership in aviation innovation.

Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, union minister of civil aviation, reflected on India’s journey to become a global leader in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. “With over 750 million metric tonnes of available biomass, India has the capacity to become a global leader in SAF production. We have set an ambitious target of blending 1% SAF by 2027, 2% by 2028 and 5% by 2030, reflecting our commitment to a greener future.