India could see the arrival of its first indigenous civilian aircraft within the next two years, with Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu expressing confidence that a joint venture-led initiative will deliver a Made-in-India passenger aircraft as the country's aviation manufacturing ecosystem gathers momentum.

Speaking in New Delhi at a symposium organised by the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM), the Minister said India's rapidly expanding aviation sector is creating the right conditions for domestic aircraft production, although he did not reveal details of the proposed joint venture.

Naidu stressed that policy support alone would not be sufficient and highlighted the importance of maintaining high-quality materials, strengthening supply chains and developing a skilled workforce capable of supporting advanced aerospace manufacturing activities.

Underscoring the scale of future demand, he noted that Indian airlines currently have more than 1,600 aircraft on order. These orders are valued at roughly $100 billion, equivalent to approximately ₹8.4 lakh crore, making India one of the most significant growth markets for commercial aviation globally.

The Minister also pointed out that India presently has 165 airports and a domestic commercial fleet of around 850 aircraft. Over the next decade, more than 100 additional airports are expected to be developed, substantially expanding the country's aviation infrastructure and passenger-handling capacity.

India is already recognised as one of the world's fastest-growing domestic aviation markets, and the government sees this growth as a major opportunity to establish a stronger indigenous aerospace manufacturing base.

According to Naidu, global aerospace giants Boeing and Airbus currently source components and services worth about $4 billion from India, equivalent to roughly ₹33,600 crore. He said this figure is projected to increase to around $10 billion, or approximately ₹84,000 crore, by the end of the decade as India's role in global aerospace supply chains expands.

The government is also examining the possibility of manufacturing jet engines domestically, although the Minister acknowledged that developing such capabilities would be a complex and time-consuming undertaking due to the technological sophistication involved.

During the discussion, which also featured TATA Steel Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer TV Narendran, Naidu emphasised that the wider aviation ecosystem is steadily maturing and attracting increasing global interest.

On sustainability, he said India has the potential to emerge as a major exporter of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). He added that the government intends to work towards establishing a carbon credit mechanism that could support industries while advancing decarbonisation goals across the aviation sector.

The proposed civilian aircraft initiative would represent a significant milestone in India's long-term ambition to move beyond being primarily a sourcing and assembly hub and become a full-spectrum aerospace manufacturing nation, supported by expanding airport infrastructure, record aircraft orders and growing participation in global aviation supply chains.

Agencies