In five years, domestic airlines' fleet to reach 1,400 planes

New Delhi: Vumlunmang Vualnam, the secretary of civil aviation, emphasised the potential for expansion of the nation's aviation industry on Thursday, stating that the number of aircraft operated by domestic airlines will reach 1,400 within the next five years. There are about 800 aircraft in the fleet at the moment, and major plane orders have been placed by IndiGo and Air India.

At a function in the national capital, the secretary also mentioned the opportunities for women in the aviation sector, including in the drone segment.

In the last 10 years, the number of airports has more than doubled from 74 to 157, Vualnam said.

He also said the number of passengers has doubled to around 22 crore from 11 crore.

The secretary was speaking at the 'Giving Wings to Dreams Awards 2024' hosted by Women in Aviation India in collaboration with the civil aviation ministry.

According to him, the Rs 120-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme was successful and that beneficiary companies have seen their overall turnover rose to Rs 1,400 crore.

The first PLI scheme for drones, introduced in 2021 with an outlay of Rs 120 crore for three financial years starting from 2021-22, has ended.