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{{Short description|Article on Indian air transport}}
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2013}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2022}}
'''Aviation in India''' can be broadly divided into [[air force|military]] and [[Civil aviation in India|civil aviation]]. India has an extensive civilian [[air transportation]] network and is amongst the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world according to the [[International Air Transport Association]] (IATA).
[[File:airports and seaports map.png|thumb|350px|right|[[List of airports in India|Airports]] and [[Ports in India|seaports]] in India]]
 
'''Aviation in India''', broadly divided into military and civil aviation, is the fastest-growing aviation market in the world according to the [[International Air Transport Association]] (IATA). The hub of the nation's aviation manufacturing industry is at [[Bangalore]] which has a 65% share of this economic sector since 1924.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/12077311/India-crowned-worlds-fastest-growing-aviation-market-in-2015-as-economy-takes-off.html |title=India crowned world's fastest growing aviation market in 2015 as economy takes off, ''The Telegraph'', 1 January 2016. |access-date=4 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110005634/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/12077311/India-crowned-worlds-fastest-growing-aviation-market-in-2015-as-economy-takes-off.html |archive-date=10 January 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The government's [[UDAN]] (regional connectivity scheme) is driving the growth of civil aviation and aviation infrastructure in India.
The first commercial aviation flight in India took place on 18 February 1911. In March 1953, the [[Parliament of India|Indian Parliament]] passed the Air Corporations Act by which the eight domestic airlines operating independently at that time were merged into two government-owned entities. [[Air India]], tracing its origins to 1932, is the [[flag carrier]] of India. [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] (DGCA), established in 1931, is the regulatory body responsible for civil aviation, working under the [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]]. [[Airports Authority of India]] is responsible for the management of civil aviation infrastructure. {{As of|2025}}, there are 33 [[international airport|international]], 11 [[customs airport|limited international]] airports and more than 100 domestic and private airports. De-regulation in the 1990s opened the industry to private players who cater to majority of the traffic as of 2025, handling more than 200 million air passengers annually.
 
The [[Indian Armed Forces]] under the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] is responsible for the military operations. Royal Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 with the first squadron commissioned in April 1933. It later became the [[Indian Air Force]] in 1950 and is the major military air operator in India. Indian Air Force maintains a [[List of active Indian military aircraft|fleet]] of various aircraft and [[List of Indian Air Force stations|air bases]] across India. [[Indian Army]], [[Indian Navy]] and [[Indian Coast Guard]] also maintain air infrastructure in a supporting role.


==History==
==History==
{{Main|Civil aviation in India#History|History of the Indian Air Force| label 1 = History of Indian civil aviation}}
{{Main|Civil aviation in India#History|History of the Indian Air Force|label 1=History of Indian civil aviation}}
[[File:Tata Sons' Airline Timetable Image, Summer 1935 (interior).jpg|thumb|Tata Sons' Airline timetable, {{circa|1935}}]]
[[File:Tata Sons' Airline Timetable Image, Summer 1935 (interior).jpg|thumb|Tata Sons' Airline time-table, {{circa|1935}}]]


The first commercial aviation flight in India took place on 18&nbsp;February 1911. It was a brief demonstration flight of about 15&nbsp;minutes from the United Provinces Industrial and Agricultural Exhibition in [[Allahabad]], across the Yamuna River to [[Naini]], a distance of {{convert|6|miles|km|order=flip|abbr=}}. The aircraft, a [[Humber-Sommer biplane|Humber biplane]] shipped from England specifically for the event, was flown by French aviator [[Henri Pequet]] and carried 6,500 pieces of mail, making it the first official airmail service.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bluffield|first=Robert|publisher=Tattered Flag|date=19 November 2014|title=Over Empires and Oceans: Pioneers, Aviators and Adventurers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ipKPBQAAQBAJ&q=%2218+february+1911%22+allahabad+naini+mail&pg=PA60 |page=60 |isbn= 978-0957689268}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The World's Greatest Civil Aircraft: An Illustrated History |first=Paul E.|last=Eden|publisher=Amber Books|date=21 December 2015|isbn=9781782742722|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rms9CwAAQBAJ&q=allahabad+naini+mail&pg=PT8 }}</ref> Regular air mail was not established until two decades later, notably by [[J.&nbsp;R.&nbsp;D. Tata]], who was awarded a contract to carry mail in 1932 and founded an airline which grew to become [[Air India]].<ref name="BR">[http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/AviationIndia.pdf] Beginning of Aviation in India - Bharat Rakshak {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227142219/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/AviationIndia.pdf |date=27 February 2012 }}</ref>
The first commercial aviation flight in India took place on 18 February 1911 from [[Allahabad]] to [[Naini]], a distance of {{convert|6|miles|km|order=flip|abbr=}}, flown by [[Henri Pequet]] using a [[Humber-Sommer biplane|Humber biplane]] carrying 6,500 pieces of mail.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bluffield|first=Robert|publisher=Tattered Flag|date=19 November 2014|title=Over Empires and Oceans: Pioneers, Aviators and Adventurers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ipKPBQAAQBAJ&q=%2218+february+1911%22+allahabad+naini+mail&pg=PA60|page=60|isbn=978-0-9576-8926-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The World's Greatest Civil Aircraft: An Illustrated History|first=Paul E.|last=Eden|publisher=Amber Books|date=21 December 2015|isbn=978-1-7827-4272-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rms9CwAAQBAJ&q=allahabad+naini+mail&pg=PT8}}</ref> In December 1912, the Indian State Air services along with the [[Imperial Airways]] introduced a [[London]]-[[Delhi]] flight, the first International flight to India.<ref name="PIB"/> In 1915, [[Tata Sons]] started a regular airmail service between [[Karachi]] and [[Madras]] marking the beginning of air transportation in the southern part of India.<ref name="PIB">{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=69345|title=100 years of Civil Aviation|date=25 January 2011|publisher=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> Construction of the first civil airports at [[Calcutta]], Allahabad and [[Bombay]] started in 1924. In April 1927, a department of civil aviation was set-up with the [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] (DGCA) set-up in 1931.<ref name="PIB"/> The Aero Club of India was established in 1927 and the [[Madras Flying Club]] in 1930.<ref>{{cite book|title=Indian Aviation|year=1952|first=R.L.|last=Saraogi|page=192}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Janardanan|first=Arun|title=
Madras Flying Club: High on quality|newspaper=[[Times of India]]|location=Chennai|date=14 June 2011|language=en|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/madras-flying-club-high-on-quality/articleshow/8842647.cms|access-date=25 December 2022}}</ref> On 15 October 1932, Indian aviator [[J. R. D. Tata]] flew a [[De Havilland Puss Moth|Puss Moth]] aircraft carrying mail from [[Karachi airport|Karachi]] to [[Juhu aerodrome]], [[Bombay]]; and the aircraft continued to [[Madras]], marking the beginning of Tata Airlines which later became [[Air India]], the [[flag carrier]] in 1946.<ref name="history">{{cite book|language=en|title=Britain's Imperial Air Routes, 1918 to 1939|last=Higham|first=Robin|page=168|publisher=Shoe String Press|year=1961|isbn=978-0-2080-0171-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=De Havilland Gazette|year=1953|page=103|language=en|journal=De Havilland Aircraft Company}}</ref>


Until 1990, international aviation was restricted to the four major metros of India, viz., [[New Delhi]] (Palam), [[Bombay]] (Santa Cruz), [[Madras]] (Meenambakkam), and [[Calcutta]] (Dum Dum). With the [[Thiruvananthapuram Airport]] having upgraded to an international airport on 1 January 1991, making it the fifth international airport of India, international aviation was expanded to minor metros and non-metros across the country.
The [[Indian Air Force]] was established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref name="clause4">{{cite web|title=HC Deb 3 April 1933 vol 276 cc1473-501|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1933/apr/03/clause-4-relations-between-royal-air|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|access-date=8 April 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503154955/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1933/apr/03/clause-4-relations-between-royal-air|date=3 April 1933|archive-date=3 May 2009}}</ref> The enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 stipulated out their auxiliary status and enforced the adoption of the Royal Air Force uniforms, badges, brevets and insignia.<ref name="IAF">{{cite web|title=History of the IAF|url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=98|work=Official Website|publisher=Webmaster IAF – Air Headquarters|access-date=7 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409235005/http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=98|archive-date=9 April 2009}}</ref><ref name="airpower3">{{cite journal|last=Bedi|first=Sanjeev|date=Summer 2008|title=Strategic Role of Air Power|journal=Air Power Journal|volume=3|publisher=Center for Air Power Studies|issue=2|pages=27–45|url=http://www.aerospaceindia.org/Journals/Summer%202008/Sanjeev%20Bedi.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723023345/http://www.aerospaceindia.org/Journals/Summer%202008/Sanjeev%20Bedi.pdf|archive-date=2019-07-23|url-status=usurped|access-date=8 April 2009 }}</ref> On 1 April 1933, the IAF commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron, with four [[Westland Wapiti|Westland Wapiti biplanes]] and five Indian pilots.<ref>{{cite web|last=Goyal|first=S.N.|title=1939–45 Second World War: Air Force Reminiscences|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Goyal.html|work=Sainik Samachar|publisher=Indian Air Force|date=October 1993|access-date=8 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006180501/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Goyal.html|archive-date=6 October 2009}}</ref> In 1933–34, Indian Trans Continental Airways, Madras Air Taxi Services and Indian National Airways commenced operations.<ref name="PIB"/> The Indian Aircraft Act was propagated in 1934 and formulated in 1937.<ref name="PIB"/> In 1940, [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited]] (HAL) was set up at [[Bangalore]] and India's first aircraft rolled out for test flight in July 1941.<ref name="PIB"/> The Indian Air Force took part in the [[Second World War]] and was christened as Royal Indian Air Force. In 1950, when India became a republic, the prefix was dropped and it reverted to being the Indian Air Force.<ref name=Ahluwalia2012>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sabUQ7zKUvsC&pg=PA41|title=Airborne to Chairborne: Memoirs of a War Veteran Aviator-Lawyer of the Indian Air Force|last=Ahluwalia|first=A.|date=2012|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|isbn=978-1-4691-9657-2|page=41|language=en}}</ref> In March 1953, the [[Parliament of India|Indian Parliament]] passed the Air Corporations Act through which the eight independent domestic airlines in existence: Deccan Airways, Airways India, Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Kalinga Air Lines, Indian National Airways, Air India, Air Services of India were merged into two government owned entities of [[Indian Airlines]] and Air India.<ref name="PIB"/> In 1960, the first [[jet aircraft]] was introduced for commercial passenger traffic.<ref name="Jet">{{cite book|last1=Sabharwal|first1=Gopa|publisher=Penguin India|title=India Since 1947: The Independent Years|year=2007|isbn=978-0-14-310274-8|page=77}}</ref>
[[File:Mig21_pair_during_1971_war.jpg|thumb|left|A pair of [[Indian Air Force]] [[MiG-21]] during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]]]
In 1961, the Indian Air Force provided air support in [[Operation Vijay (1961)|Operation Vijay]] as a part of [[Liberation of Goa|liberation]] of [[Portuguese India|Portuguese colony of Goa]].<ref name=brgoa1>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1960s/Goa01.html|title=The Liberation of Goa: 1961|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|author=Jagan Pillarisetti|access-date=17 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107025811/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1960s/Goa01.html|archive-date=7 January 2012}}</ref> The Indian Air Force achieved air superiority during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/1965-war-we-achieved-air-superiority-in-three-days-says-air-force-marshal-arjan-singh_1805797.html|title=1965 war: We achieved air superiority in three days, says Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh|date=4 October 2015|access-date=7 August 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614221636/http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/1965-war-we-achieved-air-superiority-in-three-days-says-air-force-marshal-arjan-singh_1805797.html|archive-date=14 June 2016}}</ref> In 1966, the IAF started inducting [[MiG-21]] and [[Sukhoi Su-7]] fighter jets.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Whale of a Fighter: the Su-7 in IAF Service|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/Su-7.html|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=5 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230183851/http://bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/Su-7.html|archive-date=30 December 2009}}</ref> Indian Air Force played a major part in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], carrying out strikes and providing air support for [[Indian Army]] and [[Indian Navy]].<ref name="IAF71">{{cite web|title=The War of December 1971|url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=71|publisher=Indian Air Force|access-date=3 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410000055/http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=71|archive-date=10 April 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Years later, Longewala reminds the do-or-die battle|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Years-later-Longewala-reminds-the-do-or-die-battle/articleshow/27554710.cms|access-date=23 August 2015|work=The Times of India|agency=India Times|issue=18 December 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018220423/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Years-later-Longewala-reminds-the-do-or-die-battle/articleshow/27554710.cms|archive-date=18 October 2015}}</ref>
[[File:Boeing_777-237(LR)_Air_India_VT-ALD,_LHR_London,_England_(Heathrow_Airport),_United_Kingdom_PP1369760077.jpg|thumb|[[Air India]], the [[flag carrier]] of India]]
In 1972, the International Airports Authority of India (IAAI) was constituted with the National Airports Authority established in 1986. In 1995, both the agencies were merged to form [[Airports Authority of India]], responsible for the management of civil aviation infrastructure in India.<ref name="PIB"/> Until 1990, international aviation was restricted to the airports in the four major metros of India, viz., [[Delhi]], Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. In 1991, the aviation industry was de-regulated to allow the entry of private airlines to provide [[air charter|charter]] services with East West Airlines becoming the first private airline to operate in the country after 37 years.<ref name="PIB"/> In 1994, private airlines were permitted to operate scheduled services and a number of private airlines commenced domestic operations.<ref name="PIB"/> On 11 May 1999, the Indian Air Force was called in to provide close air support to the Indian Army at the height of the ongoing [[Kargil conflict]] with the use of helicopters.<ref name=iafo>{{cite web|url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/|title=Official website of Indian Air Force|access-date=28 July 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723110003/http://indianairforce.nic.in/|archive-date=23 July 2010}}</ref> In 2003, [[low cost airline]]s entered service in the Indian market with [[Air Deccan]].<ref name="PIB"/> In 2004, [[Government of India]] approved setting up of the first airports with private partnership at [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] and Bangalore.<ref name="PIB"/> In December 2004, other Indian carriers apart from Air India, with a minimum of 5 years of continuous operations and a fleet of 20 aircraft, were permitted to operate international services.<ref name="PIB"/> In 2007, the Regional Airlines policy was formulated to allow carriers to operate service within a particular region.<ref name="PIB"/> The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) was set up in 2009.<ref name="PIB"/>


==Civil aviation==
==Civil aviation==
[[File:Busiest Indian airports.png|thumb|350px|right|The busiest Indian airports (2015-16).]]
{{main|Civil aviation in India}}
{{main|Civil aviation in India}}
The [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]] is responsible for civilian aviation, through regulatory oversight by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dgca.nic.in/dgca/visi-ind.htm|title=DGCA Rules and Regulations|publisher=DGCA|access-date=15 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022010659/http://www.dgca.nic.in/dgca/visi-ind.htm|archive-date=22 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Civil aviation in India#National Civil Aviation Policy 2016|National Civil Aviation Policy 2016]] set the guidelines and goals for operations of civil aviation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/govt-releases-national-civil-aviation-policy-impact-of-fdi-in-aviation-sector-116072200284_1.html|title=Govt releases National Civil Aviation Policy; impact of FDI in Aviation sector|work=IndiaInfoline|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908202346/https://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/govt-releases-national-civil-aviation-policy-impact-of-fdi-in-aviation-sector-116072200284_1.html|archive-date=8 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> India is the third largest civilian aviation market with airlines carrying more than 200 million passengers in 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/62424407.cms|title=In next 6-8 months, we expect to get bids for Air India: Jayant Sinha|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>


India had the world's third-largest civil aviation market in 2017,<ref name="size1">{{Cite web |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/62424407.cms |title=In next 6-8 months, we expect to get bids for Air India: Jayant Sinha, ''Economic Times'', 8 January 2018. |access-date=9 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110174303/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/62424407.cms |archive-date=10 January 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-becomes-3rd-largest-aviation-market-in-domestic-traffic/articleshow/57837992.cms|title=India becomes 3rd largest aviation market in domestic traffic - Times of India|website=IndiaTimes.com|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322100317/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-becomes-3rd-largest-aviation-market-in-domestic-traffic/articleshow/57837992.cms|archive-date=22 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> with the number of passengers growing at an average annual rate of 16.3% between 2000 and 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/indian-aviation-flying-high/|title=Indian aviation is flying high|date=17 March 2017|website=DailyExcelsior.com|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109235422/http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/indian-aviation-flying-high/|archive-date=9 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It recorded an air traffic of 131&nbsp;million passengers in 2016.<ref>{{citation|title=Aviation|url=http://www.makeinindia.com/sector/aviation|publisher=[[Make in India]]|access-date=8 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101015320/http://www.makeinindia.com/sector/aviation|archive-date=1 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite this growth, much of the country's aviation potential remains untapped.<ref name="TOI">{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Mumbai-Delhi-10th-busiest-air-route/articleshow/13102717.cms |title=Mumbai-Delhi 10th busiest air route |work=[[Times of India]] |date=12 May 2012 |access-date=5 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623150453/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Mumbai-Delhi-10th-busiest-air-route/articleshow/13102717.cms |archive-date=23 June 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="thaindian.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/mumbai-airports-traffic-control-tower-design-bags-award_100221024.html |title=Mumbai airport's traffic control tower design bags award |publisher=Thaindian.com |date=21 July 2009 |access-date=16 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103162233/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/mumbai-airports-traffic-control-tower-design-bags-award_100221024.html |archive-date=3 January 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[IndiGo]], [[Air India]], [[SpiceJet]] and [[GoAir]] are the major carriers in order of their market share.<ref name="Airmarketshare">{{cite web|url=http://dgca.nic.in/reports/Market.pdf|title=Market Share of Scheduled Domestic Airlines|publisher=DGCA|access-date=5 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629165623/http://dgca.nic.in/reports/MARKET.pdf|archive-date=29 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> These airlines connect more than 80 cities across India, and are joined by several foreign airlines in providing international routes.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
 
|+Air passenger traffic (In Millions) <ref>{{cite web|title=India: air passenger traffic 2022|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1252947/india-air-passenger-traffic/|access-date=23 September 2023|publisher=Statista}}</ref>
The [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]] is responsible for civilian aviation, through regulatory oversight by the [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] (DGCA).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dgca.nic.in/dgca/visi-ind.htm|title=DGCA RULES AND REGULATIONS|website=dgca.nic.in|access-date=2019-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022010659/http://www.dgca.nic.in/dgca/visi-ind.htm|archive-date=22 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Civil aviation in India#National Civil Aviation Policy 2016|National Civil Aviation Policy 2016]] sets broad goals for safety and operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/govt-releases-national-civil-aviation-policy-impact-of-fdi-in-aviation-sector-116072200284_1.html|title=Govt releases National Civil Aviation Policy; impact of FDI in Aviation sector|last=indiainfoline.com|website=IndiaInfoline.com|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908202346/https://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/govt-releases-national-civil-aviation-policy-impact-of-fdi-in-aviation-sector-116072200284_1.html|archive-date=8 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[UDAN]] (regional connectivity scheme) is a plan to develop a sustainable air network in over 400 tier-2 cities across India, with an estimated expenditure of {{INRConvert|500|m}} per airstrip.<ref>{{citation|title=Air connectivity for tier-2 cities soon, says MoS Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma |url=http://indiatoday.in/story/air-connectivity-for-tier-2-cities-soon-says-mos-civil-aviation-mahesh-sharma/1/591113.html |date=9 February 2016 |work=[[India Today]] }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=udan41>{{cite web|url=http://www.aai.aero/public_notices/aaisite_test/Final-Regional-Connectivity-Scheme(RCS)311016.pdf|title=GoI AAI's RCS UDAN document (final version), October 2016|website=AAI.aero|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606122530/http://www.aai.aero/public_notices/aaisite_test/Final-Regional-Connectivity-Scheme(RCS)311016.pdf|archive-date=6 June 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=udan30>{{cite news|title=Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik : Civil Aviation Ministry's Regional Connectivity Scheme "UDAN" Launched Today|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=151850|agency=[[Government of India]]|publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]]|date=21 October 2016|access-date=22 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106001614/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=151850|archive-date=6 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=udan10>{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/FHm9tEhJ8341miVfdRi2GP/Govt-clears-Rs4500-crore-for-50-regional-airports-under-Uda.html|title=Govt clears Rs 45&nbsp;billion for 50 regional airports under Udan scheme|first=Tarun|last=Shukla|date=6 March 2017|website=LiveMint.com|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025202301/http://www.livemint.com/Politics/FHm9tEhJ8341miVfdRi2GP/Govt-clears-Rs4500-crore-for-50-regional-airports-under-Uda.html|archive-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=udan42>[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/udan-govt-links-airlines-performance-to-award-of-more-routes/articleshow/61656632.cms "UDAN: Govt links airlines' performance to award of more routes."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116194640/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/udan-govt-links-airlines-performance-to-award-of-more-routes/articleshow/61656632.cms |date=16 November 2017 }}, [[The Economic Times|Economic Times]], 14 November 2017.</ref><ref name=udan43>[http://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-udan-scheme-round-ii-government-receives-141-proposals-for-air-routes-31365 "Udan scheme round-II: Government receives 141 proposals for air routes."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116184852/http://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-udan-scheme-round-ii-government-receives-141-proposals-for-air-routes-31365 |date=16 November 2017 }}, [[Zee Business]], 14 November 2017.</ref><ref name=udan18>{{cite report|date=October 2016|title=Regional Connectivity Scheme – UDAN|url=http://www.aai.aero/public_notices/aaisite_test/Final-Regional-Connectivity-Scheme(RCS)311016.pdf|publisher=[[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation – Government of India]]|access-date=31 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401144401/http://www.aai.aero/public_notices/aaisite_test/Final-Regional-Connectivity-Scheme(RCS)311016.pdf|archive-date=1 April 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
!Financial Year (FY)
!2010
!2011
!2012
!2013
!2014
!2015
!2016
!2017
!2018
!2019
!2020
!2021
!2022
!2023
!2024
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Total passengers
|77.4
|88.9
|98.9
|98.2
|103.8
|115.8
|135
|158.4
|183.9
|204.2
|202
|62.1
|105.4
|190.6
|220.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Domestic passengers
|45.3
|53.8
|60.8
|57.9
|60.7
|70.1
|85.2
|103.7
|123.3
|140.3
|141.2
|53.3
|84.2
|136
|153.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|International passengers
|32.1
|35.1
|38.1
|40.3
|43.1
|45.7
|49.8
|54.7
|60.6
|63.9
|60.8
|8.8
|21.2
|54.6
|66.7
|}


===Infrastructure===
=== Network and infrastructure ===
{{main | List of the busiest airports in India | List of airports in India| label 1 = Busiest airports in India | label 2 = List of Airports in India | List of airlines of India}}
{{main|List of the busiest airports in India|List of airports in India}}
India has various types of airports namely, designated international airports, customs airports with limited international flights, [[Joint-use airport|civil enclave]]s within airbases, domestic airports and private airports.<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.dgca.gov.in/digigov-portal/?page=jsp/dgca/InventoryList/aerodrome/public/PUBLIC%20USE%20LICENSED%20AERODROME%20(PUBLIC%20AND%20PRIVATE)%20AND%20HELIPORT%20-converted%20(1).pdf|title=List of Aerodromes Licensed in Public Use Category|publisher=[[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] of India|access-date=11 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.dgca.gov.in/digigov-portal/?page=jsp/dgca/InventoryList/aerodrome/private/AERODROMES%20LICENSED%20IN%20PRIVATE%20USE%20CATEGORY-converted.pdf|title=List of Aerodromes Licensed in Private Use Category|publisher=[[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] of India|access-date=11 October 2023}}</ref> Airports Authority of India is the nodal authority responsible for the development and maintenance of infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/basic_page_files/list%20of%20airport%20bilingual.pdf|title=List of Indian Airports|publisher=[[Airports Authority of India]]|access-date=11 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Nov2k23Annex2.pdf|type=pdf|title=Traffic Statistics, November 2023|publisher=Airport Authority of India|access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref> AAI administers the airports divided into four administrative regions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Regional Headquarters of AAI|publisher=Airports Authority of India|url=https://www.aai.aero/en/node/4004|access-date=30 August 2023}}</ref> {{As of|December 2023}}, there are 33 [[international airport|international]] and 11 [[customs airport|limited international]] airports apart from 100+ other domestic, private airports and civil enclaves.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nocas2.aai.aero/nocas/AAI_Links/Airports-IFR-VFR-200815.pdf|title=List of Indian Airports (NOCAS)|publisher=[[Airports Authority of India]]|access-date=22 October 2023}}</ref> The [[UDAN]] regional connectivity scheme, launched in 2016, planned to develop a sustainable air network in over 400 tier-2 cities across India.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik : Civil Aviation Ministry's Regional Connectivity Scheme "UDAN" Launched Today|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=151850|agency=[[Government of India]]|publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]]|date=21 October 2016|access-date=22 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106001614/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=151850|archive-date=6 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/FHm9tEhJ8341miVfdRi2GP/Govt-clears-Rs4500-crore-for-50-regional-airports-under-Uda.html|title=Govt clears Rs 45&nbsp;billion for 50 regional airports under Udan scheme|first=Tarun|last=Shukla|date=6 March 2017|work=LiveMint|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025202301/http://www.livemint.com/Politics/FHm9tEhJ8341miVfdRi2GP/Govt-clears-Rs4500-crore-for-50-regional-airports-under-Uda.html|archive-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>


The primary civilian aviation hub is [[Indira Gandhi International Airport]] in the [[National Capital Region (India)|National Capital Region]] of [[Delhi]].<ref name="AIP">{{cite web |url=http://www.aai.aero/public_notices/aaisite_test/eAIP/PUB/2012-04-01/html/index-en-GB.html |title=eAIP India AD-2.1 VIDP |publisher=Aai.aero |access-date=5 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331042733/http://www.aai.aero/public_notices/aaisite_test/eAIP/PUB/2012-04-01/html/index-en-GB.html |archive-date=31 March 2014 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Since 2009, it has been the [[List of the busiest airports in India|busiest airport in India]] in terms of passenger traffic and international traffic, and the second-busiest in terms of cargo traffic (after [[Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport|Mumbai]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Delhi-s-airport-busier-than-Mumbai-s-by-40-flights-a-day/502562 |title=Delhi Airport busier than Mumbai by 40 flights a day |work=Indianexpress |date=16 August 2009 |access-date=5 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130034146/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/delhi-s-airport-busier-than-mumbai-s-by-40-flights-a-day/502562 |archive-date=30 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 2010, it has had the capacity to handle more than 40&nbsp;million passengers per year, with a planned expansion for 100&nbsp;million passengers by 2030.<ref>{{cite web |last=Grammaticas |first=Damian |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6640147.stm |title=Sky's the limit for India flight boom |work=BBC News |date=9 May 2007 |access-date=5 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113072349/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6640147.stm |archive-date=13 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="border-collapse:collapse; text-align:left; "
|+ Busiest airports by Passenger traffic (2022–23)
|-
! Rank
! Name
! City
! State/{{Tooltip|UT|Union Territories}}
! IATA Code
! Passengers <br> 2022–23
! Passengers <br> 2021–22
! % Change
! Rank Change
|-
|1
|[[Indira Gandhi International Airport]]
|[[Delhi NCR]]
|[[Delhi]]
|DEL
|65,327,833
|39,339,998
|{{increase|1}}66.1
|{{steady|0}}
|-
| 2
|[[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport]]
|[[Mumbai]]
|[[Maharashtra]]
|BOM
|43,930,298
|21,747,892
|{{increase|1}}102.0
|{{steady|0}}
|-
| 3
|[[Kempegowda International Airport]]
|[[Bangalore|Bengaluru]]
|[[Karnataka]]
|BLR
|31,911,429
|16,287,097
|{{increase|1}}95.9
|{{steady|0}}
|-
|4
|[[Rajiv Gandhi International Airport]]
|[[Hyderabad]]
|[[Telangana]]
|HYD
|20,996,027
|12,429,796
|{{increase|1}}68.9
|{{steady|0}}
|-
|5
|[[Chennai International Airport]]
|[[Chennai]]
|[[Tamilnadu]]
|MAA
|22,410,000
|16,550,000
|{{increase|1}}22.4
|{{steady|0}}
|-
|6
|[[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport]]
|[[Kolkata]]
|[[West Bengal]]
|CCU
|24,68,601
|5,12,582
|{{increase|1}}20.8
|{{increase|1}}1
|}


UDAN is assessing 486 existing airports for potential development.<ref name=udan28>[http://www.airportsindia.org.in/public_notices/aaisite_test/LIST-UNSERVED-AS-ON22NOV16.pdf Participating unserved UDAN-RCS airports] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035729/http://www.airportsindia.org.in/public_notices/aaisite_test/LIST-UNSERVED-AS-ON22NOV16.pdf |date=1 December 2017 }}, [[Airport Authority of India]], Nov 2016.</ref> Phase&nbsp;I of UDAN helped to raise the number of operational civil aviation airports to 131, a 34% increase over 20&nbsp;months.<ref name=udan22>[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/state-police-to-stand-guard-at-airports-under-udan-scheme/articleshow/61886945.cms State police to stand guard at Airports under UDAN scheme] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202150934/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/state-police-to-stand-guard-at-airports-under-udan-scheme/articleshow/61886945.cms |date=2 December 2017 }}, [[The Economic Times|Economic Times]], 2 December 2015.</ref> In addition, the [[Airport Authority of India]] (AAI) granted in-principal approval to 19 new airports in December&nbsp;2017.<ref name=add1/> In September&nbsp;2018, the Civil Aviation Minister said that as many as 100 new airports would be built in the next 10 to 15 years to meet the growing domestic demand.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/india-plans-100-new-airports-costing-60b-1.2274609|title=India plans 100 new airports costing $60b|last=PTI|date=4 September 2018|work=GulfNews|access-date=5 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905092622/https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/india-plans-100-new-airports-costing-60b-1.2274609|archive-date=5 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>


In 2015, there were 22 airlines operating in India, which add a total of about 50 airliners to their fleets each year.<ref name="add1">{{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/in-principle-approval-for-19-greenfield-airports-given-raju/articleshow/62192197.cms |title=In-principle approval for 19 greenfield airports given: Raju, ''Times of India'', 20 December 2017. |access-date=22 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518105345/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/in-principle-approval-for-19-greenfield-airports-given-raju/articleshow/62192197.cms |archive-date=18 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> To support these fleets, several aviation-industrial parks are being set up, such as in [[Hisar Airport|Hisar]],<ref name=ha11>Vijay Mohan. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/army-s-helicopter-repair-hub-likely-to-come-up-in-hisar/274173.html Army’s helicopter repair hub likely to come up in Hisar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202203155/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/army-s-helicopter-repair-hub-likely-to-come-up-in-hisar/274173.html |date=2 December 2017 }}, [[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]], 1 August 2016.</ref><ref name=tbm1>[http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/Ministry/haryana-govt-to-develop-international-airport-at-hisar-30068 Haryana to develop international airport at Hisar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019112209/http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/Ministry/haryana-govt-to-develop-international-airport-at-hisar-30068 |date=19 October 2017 }}, [http://www.travelbizmonitor.com TravelBizMonitor] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129150531/http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/ |date=29 November 2017 }}, Retrieved in March 2016.</ref><ref name=trib4>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/state-shelves-hisar-airport-project/87044.html State shelves Hisar airport cargo project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019111840/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/state-shelves-hisar-airport-project/87044.html |date=19 October 2017 }}, [[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]], 29 May 2015.</ref> [[Gujarat]],<ref>{{citation |title=Gujarat to set up India's first civil aviation park |url=http://ibtimes.co.in/gujarat-set-indias-first-civil-aviation-park-666140 |work=[[International Business Times]] |date=8 February 2016 |access-date=10 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209160555/http://www.ibtimes.co.in/gujarat-set-indias-first-civil-aviation-park-666140 |archive-date=9 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Chennai Aero Park|Chennai]].
=== Airlines ===
{{main|List of airlines of India}}
{{Pie chart
| caption = Market share of scheduled domestic airlines of India in December 2025
| value1 = 59.6
| label1 = [[IndiGo]]
| color1 = #0047AB
| value2 = 29.6
| label2 = [[Air India|Air India Group (including Air India Express)]]
| color2 = #BF0000
| value3 = 5.2
| label3 = [[Akasa Air]]
| color3 = #FF8000
| value4 = 4.3
| label4 = [[SpiceJet]]
| color4 = #FF0000
| value5 = 1.3
| label5 = Others
| color5 = grey
}}
{{As of|February 2026}}, India has about nine scheduled airlines operating passenger services apart from other cargo carriers. [[Air India]] is the [[flag carrier]] with [[IndiGo]] being the largest carrier in operation with a 59.6% domestic market share.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-04 |title=IndiGo’s market share fell nearly 4% in December, 16.21 lakh passengers faced delays or cancellations after flight disruption |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/business/airlines-aviation-indigos-market-share-fell-nearly-4-in-december-16-21-lakh-passengers-faced-delays-or-cancellations-after-flight-disruption-4131314/ |access-date=2026-02-18 |website=The Financial Express |language=en}}</ref> [[Air India Express]] is [[Air India]]'s [[Low-cost carrier|low-cost]] subsidiary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patel|first=Deepak|title=Nipun Aggarwal replaces Campbell Wilson as Air India Express Chairman |url=https://www.business-standard.com/companies/people/nipun-aggarwal-replaces-campbell-wilson-as-air-india-express-chairman-125042201318_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503020853/https://www.business-standard.com/companies/people/nipun-aggarwal-replaces-campbell-wilson-as-air-india-express-chairman-125042201318_1.html |archive-date=2025-05-03 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=www.business-standard.com |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Military aviation==
==Military aviation==
[[File:Wright R-3350 change on B-29 in India.jpg|thumb|US Army Air Force personnel extracting an engine from a B-29 in India, {{circa|1945}}.]]
{{Further|List of active Indian Air Force aircraft squadrons|List of Indian Air Force stations|List of active Indian military aircraft}}
 
The [[President of India]] serves as the ex-officio [[Commander-in-Chief, India|commander-in-chief]] of the [[Indian Armed Forces]], with the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] responsible for policy. The air arms of the armed forces are the [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF), commanded by the [[Chief of Air Staff (India)|Chief of Air Staff]], and the [[Indian Naval Air Arm]], [[Army Aviation Corps (India)|Army Aviation Corps]], and [[Indian Coast Guard#Current aircraft|Indian Coast Guard aviation]] are the agencies involved in the military aviation in India. The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational and two functional commands with [[Military air base|bases]] or stations across various commands.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Verma|first1=Bharat|last2=Hiranandani|first2=GM|last3=Pandey|first3=BK|title=Indian Armed Forces|date=2009|publisher=Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-1-935501-73-2|page=217|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yXCUeGUW3VQC&pg=PT217|language=en}}</ref> The armed forces operate a fleet of [[fighter aircraft|fighter]], [[Military transport aircraft|transport]], [[Helicopter|helicopters]], [[Aerial refueling|tankers]], [[Airborne early warning and control|AWAC]], [[Reconnaissance aircraft|reconnaissance]] aircraft and [[Unmanned aerial vehicle]]s.<ref name="World Air Forces 2024">{{cite web|last = Hoyle|first = Craig|url= https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=98881|title = World Air Forces 2024|publisher= [[FlightGlobal]]|year= 2023|access-date= 27 December 2023}}</ref>
The [[President of India]] serves as the ex-officio [[Commander-in-Chief, India|commander-in-chief]] of the [[Indian Armed Forces]], with the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] responsible for policy. The air arms of the armed forces are the [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF), commanded by the [[Chief of Air Staff (India)|Chief of Air Staff]], and the [[Indian Naval Air Arm]], [[Army Aviation Corps (India)|Army Aviation Corps]], and [[Indian Coast Guard#Current aircraft|Indian Coast Guard aviation]].
 
The IAF is the world's fourth-largest air force. In 2015, ''[[Flightglobal]]'' estimated that it had 1,820 aircraft in service: 905 combat planes, 595 fighters and 310 attackers.<ref name="Flightglobal">{{cite web|url=https://d1fmezig7cekam.cloudfront.net/VPP/Global/Flight/Airline%20Business/AB%20home/Edit/WorldAirForces2015.pdf|title=Flightglobal - World Air Forces 2015 (PDF), Flightglobal.com|website=d1fmezig7cekam.Cloudfront.net|access-date=9 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219164437/https://d1fmezig7cekam.cloudfront.net/VPP/Global/Flight/Airline%20Business/AB%20home/Edit/WorldAirForces2015.pdf|archive-date=19 December 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The defence sector – consisting chiefly of IAF and state-owned [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited]] (HAL) – are developing numerous indigenous fighter aircraft and new technologies for the aviation industry. These efforts produced the [[HF-24 Marut]] and [[HAL Tejas]] supersonic fighters.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Best BBA Aviation Colleges in Bangalore {{!}} Airport Management Colleges in Bangalore {{!}} Career, Scope, Job, Salary Details|url=https://campushunt.in/blog/best-bba-aviation-airport-management-colleges-bangalore/|website=campushunt.in|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
Line 42: Line 205:
* [[Environmental impact of aviation]]
* [[Environmental impact of aviation]]
* [[Aerial lift in India]]
* [[Aerial lift in India]]
* [[List of airports in India]]


==References==
==References==
Line 47: Line 211:


==External links==
==External links==
{{wikimedia|Indian aviation}}
{{sister project links|Indian aviation}}


{{Economy of India related topics}}
{{Economy of India related topics}}
{{India topics}}
{{India topics}}
{{Life in India}}
 
{{World topic|Aviation in|title=[[Aviation]] around the World|noredlinks=yes}}
{{World topic|Aviation in|title=[[Aviation]] around the World|noredlinks=yes}}
 
{{Portal bar|Aviation|India}}


[[Category:Aviation in India| ]]
[[Category:Aviation in India| ]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force]]

Latest revision as of 19:04, 18 February 2026


Aviation in India can be broadly divided into military and civil aviation. India has an extensive civilian air transportation network and is amongst the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The first commercial aviation flight in India took place on 18 February 1911. In March 1953, the Indian Parliament passed the Air Corporations Act by which the eight domestic airlines operating independently at that time were merged into two government-owned entities. Air India, tracing its origins to 1932, is the flag carrier of India. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), established in 1931, is the regulatory body responsible for civil aviation, working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Airports Authority of India is responsible for the management of civil aviation infrastructure. As of 2025, there are 33 international, 11 limited international airports and more than 100 domestic and private airports. De-regulation in the 1990s opened the industry to private players who cater to majority of the traffic as of 2025, handling more than 200 million air passengers annually.

The Indian Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the military operations. Royal Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 with the first squadron commissioned in April 1933. It later became the Indian Air Force in 1950 and is the major military air operator in India. Indian Air Force maintains a fleet of various aircraft and air bases across India. Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard also maintain air infrastructure in a supporting role.

History[edit | edit source]

Main articles: History of Indian civil aviation and History of the Indian Air Force
Tata Sons' Airline time-table, c. 1935

The first commercial aviation flight in India took place on 18 February 1911 from Allahabad to Naini, a distance of 9.7 kilometres (6 mi), flown by Henri Pequet using a Humber biplane carrying 6,500 pieces of mail.[1][2] In December 1912, the Indian State Air services along with the Imperial Airways introduced a London-Delhi flight, the first International flight to India.[3] In 1915, Tata Sons started a regular airmail service between Karachi and Madras marking the beginning of air transportation in the southern part of India.[3] Construction of the first civil airports at Calcutta, Allahabad and Bombay started in 1924. In April 1927, a department of civil aviation was set-up with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) set-up in 1931.[3] The Aero Club of India was established in 1927 and the Madras Flying Club in 1930.[4][5] On 15 October 1932, Indian aviator J. R. D. Tata flew a Puss Moth aircraft carrying mail from Karachi to Juhu aerodrome, Bombay; and the aircraft continued to Madras, marking the beginning of Tata Airlines which later became Air India, the flag carrier in 1946.[6][7]

The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force.[8] The enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 stipulated out their auxiliary status and enforced the adoption of the Royal Air Force uniforms, badges, brevets and insignia.[9][10] On 1 April 1933, the IAF commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron, with four Westland Wapiti biplanes and five Indian pilots.[11] In 1933–34, Indian Trans Continental Airways, Madras Air Taxi Services and Indian National Airways commenced operations.[3] The Indian Aircraft Act was propagated in 1934 and formulated in 1937.[3] In 1940, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was set up at Bangalore and India's first aircraft rolled out for test flight in July 1941.[3] The Indian Air Force took part in the Second World War and was christened as Royal Indian Air Force. In 1950, when India became a republic, the prefix was dropped and it reverted to being the Indian Air Force.[12] In March 1953, the Indian Parliament passed the Air Corporations Act through which the eight independent domestic airlines in existence: Deccan Airways, Airways India, Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Kalinga Air Lines, Indian National Airways, Air India, Air Services of India were merged into two government owned entities of Indian Airlines and Air India.[3] In 1960, the first jet aircraft was introduced for commercial passenger traffic.[13]

A pair of Indian Air Force MiG-21 during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

In 1961, the Indian Air Force provided air support in Operation Vijay as a part of liberation of Portuguese colony of Goa.[14] The Indian Air Force achieved air superiority during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.[15] In 1966, the IAF started inducting MiG-21 and Sukhoi Su-7 fighter jets.[16] Indian Air Force played a major part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, carrying out strikes and providing air support for Indian Army and Indian Navy.[17][18]

Air India, the flag carrier of India

In 1972, the International Airports Authority of India (IAAI) was constituted with the National Airports Authority established in 1986. In 1995, both the agencies were merged to form Airports Authority of India, responsible for the management of civil aviation infrastructure in India.[3] Until 1990, international aviation was restricted to the airports in the four major metros of India, viz., Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. In 1991, the aviation industry was de-regulated to allow the entry of private airlines to provide charter services with East West Airlines becoming the first private airline to operate in the country after 37 years.[3] In 1994, private airlines were permitted to operate scheduled services and a number of private airlines commenced domestic operations.[3] On 11 May 1999, the Indian Air Force was called in to provide close air support to the Indian Army at the height of the ongoing Kargil conflict with the use of helicopters.[19] In 2003, low cost airlines entered service in the Indian market with Air Deccan.[3] In 2004, Government of India approved setting up of the first airports with private partnership at Hyderabad and Bangalore.[3] In December 2004, other Indian carriers apart from Air India, with a minimum of 5 years of continuous operations and a fleet of 20 aircraft, were permitted to operate international services.[3] In 2007, the Regional Airlines policy was formulated to allow carriers to operate service within a particular region.[3] The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) was set up in 2009.[3]

Civil aviation[edit | edit source]

Main article: Civil aviation in India

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for civilian aviation, through regulatory oversight by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).[20] The National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 set the guidelines and goals for operations of civil aviation.[21] India is the third largest civilian aviation market with airlines carrying more than 200 million passengers in 2020.[22]

Air passenger traffic (In Millions) [23]
Financial Year (FY) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Total passengers 77.4 88.9 98.9 98.2 103.8 115.8 135 158.4 183.9 204.2 202 62.1 105.4 190.6 220.4
Domestic passengers 45.3 53.8 60.8 57.9 60.7 70.1 85.2 103.7 123.3 140.3 141.2 53.3 84.2 136 153.7
International passengers 32.1 35.1 38.1 40.3 43.1 45.7 49.8 54.7 60.6 63.9 60.8 8.8 21.2 54.6 66.7

Network and infrastructure[edit | edit source]

Main articles: List of the busiest airports in India and List of airports in India

India has various types of airports namely, designated international airports, customs airports with limited international flights, civil enclaves within airbases, domestic airports and private airports.[24][25] Airports Authority of India is the nodal authority responsible for the development and maintenance of infrastructure.[26][27] AAI administers the airports divided into four administrative regions.[28] As of December 2023, there are 33 international and 11 limited international airports apart from 100+ other domestic, private airports and civil enclaves.[29] The UDAN regional connectivity scheme, launched in 2016, planned to develop a sustainable air network in over 400 tier-2 cities across India.[30][31]

Busiest airports by Passenger traffic (2022–23)
Rank Name City State/UT IATA Code Passengers
2022–23 		Passengers
2021–22 		% Change Rank Change
1 Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi NCR Delhi DEL 65,327,833 39,339,998 166.1 0
2 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Mumbai Maharashtra BOM 43,930,298 21,747,892 1102.0 0
3 Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru Karnataka BLR 31,911,429 16,287,097 195.9 0
4 Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Hyderabad Telangana HYD 20,996,027 12,429,796 168.9 0
5 Chennai International Airport Chennai Tamilnadu MAA 22,410,000 16,550,000 122.4 0
6 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Kolkata West Bengal CCU 24,68,601 5,12,582 120.8 11


Airlines[edit | edit source]

Main article: List of airlines of India

Market share of scheduled domestic airlines of India in December 2025

  IndiGo (59.6%)
  Air India Group (including Air India Express) (29.6%)
  Akasa Air (5.2%)
  SpiceJet (4.3%)
  Others (1.3%)

As of February 2026, India has about nine scheduled airlines operating passenger services apart from other cargo carriers. Air India is the flag carrier with IndiGo being the largest carrier in operation with a 59.6% domestic market share.[32] Air India Express is Air India's low-cost subsidiary.[33]

Military aviation[edit | edit source]

Further information: List of active Indian Air Force aircraft squadrons, List of Indian Air Force stations, and List of active Indian military aircraft

The President of India serves as the ex-officio commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces, with the Ministry of Defence responsible for policy. The air arms of the armed forces are the Indian Air Force (IAF), commanded by the Chief of Air Staff, and the Indian Naval Air Arm, Army Aviation Corps, and Indian Coast Guard aviation are the agencies involved in the military aviation in India. The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational and two functional commands with bases or stations across various commands.[34] The armed forces operate a fleet of fighter, transport, helicopters, tankers, AWAC, reconnaissance aircraft and Unmanned aerial vehicles.[35]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Bluffield, Robert (19 November 2014). Over Empires and Oceans: Pioneers, Aviators and Adventurers. Tattered Flag. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-9576-8926-8.
  2. ↑ Eden, Paul E. (21 December 2015). The World's Greatest Civil Aircraft: An Illustrated History. Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-7827-4272-2.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 "100 years of Civil Aviation" (Press release). Government of India. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Saraogi, R.L. (1952). Indian Aviation. p. 192.
  5. ↑ Janardanan, Arun (14 June 2011). "Madras Flying Club: High on quality". Times of India. Chennai. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  6. ↑ Higham, Robin (1961). Britain's Imperial Air Routes, 1918 to 1939. Shoe String Press. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-2080-0171-9.
  7. ↑ "De Havilland Gazette". De Havilland Aircraft Company: 103. 1953.
  8. ↑ "HC Deb 3 April 1933 vol 276 cc1473-501". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 3 April 1933. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  9. ↑ "History of the IAF". Official Website. Webmaster IAF – Air Headquarters. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
  10. ↑ Bedi, Sanjeev (Summer 2008). "Strategic Role of Air Power" (PDF). Air Power Journal. 3 (2). Center for Air Power Studies: 27–45. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  11. ↑ Goyal, S.N. (October 1993). "1939–45 Second World War: Air Force Reminiscences". Sainik Samachar. Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 6 October 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  12. ↑ Ahluwalia, A. (2012). Airborne to Chairborne: Memoirs of a War Veteran Aviator-Lawyer of the Indian Air Force. Xlibris Corporation. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4691-9657-2.
  13. ↑ Sabharwal, Gopa (2007). India Since 1947: The Independent Years. Penguin India. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-14-310274-8.
  14. ↑ Jagan Pillarisetti. "The Liberation of Goa: 1961". Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  15. ↑ "1965 war: We achieved air superiority in three days, says Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh". 4 October 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  16. ↑ "A Whale of a Fighter: the Su-7 in IAF Service". Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 30 December 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  17. ↑ "The War of December 1971". Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
  18. ↑ "Years later, Longewala reminds the do-or-die battle". The Times of India. No. 18 December 2013. India Times. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  19. ↑ "Official website of Indian Air Force". Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  20. ↑ "DGCA Rules and Regulations". DGCA. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  21. ↑ "Govt releases National Civil Aviation Policy; impact of FDI in Aviation sector". IndiaInfoline. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  22. ↑ "In next 6-8 months, we expect to get bids for Air India: Jayant Sinha". The Economic Times. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  23. ↑ "India: air passenger traffic 2022". Statista. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  24. ↑ List of Aerodromes Licensed in Public Use Category (PDF) (Report). Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  25. ↑ List of Aerodromes Licensed in Private Use Category (PDF) (Report). Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  26. ↑ "List of Indian Airports" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  27. ↑ "Traffic Statistics, November 2023" (PDF) (pdf). Airport Authority of India. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  28. ↑ "Regional Headquarters of AAI". Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  29. ↑ "List of Indian Airports (NOCAS)" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  30. ↑ "Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik : Civil Aviation Ministry's Regional Connectivity Scheme "UDAN" Launched Today" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. Government of India. 21 October 2016. Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  31. ↑ Shukla, Tarun (6 March 2017). "Govt clears Rs 45 billion for 50 regional airports under Udan scheme". LiveMint. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  32. ↑ "IndiGo's market share fell nearly 4% in December, 16.21 lakh passengers faced delays or cancellations after flight disruption". The Financial Express. 4 February 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  33. ↑ Patel, Deepak. "Nipun Aggarwal replaces Campbell Wilson as Air India Express Chairman". www.business-standard.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  34. ↑ Verma, Bharat; Hiranandani, GM; Pandey, BK (2009). Indian Armed Forces. Lancer Publishers LLC. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-935501-73-2.
  35. ↑ Hoyle, Craig (2023). "World Air Forces 2024". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 27 December 2023.

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