Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: WITH the completion of its nine years on October 21, the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme has evolved from a pilot initiative into a national success story, bridging distances and making air travel accessible to citizens across the country. In the last decade, India’s skies have grown busier than ever, and the country has emerged as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. The number of airports increased from 74 in 2014 to 163 in 2025. As India celebrates hundred years of independence in 2047, the Government’s vision is to increase the number of airports to 350-400 by then.
The aviation sector is also one of the fastest-growing sectors, contributing through air transport services and indirectly through tourism, trade, logistics, and manufacturing.
Asia’s aviation hub
Today, the sector supports over 7.7 million jobs indirectly, including 3,69,000 directly and the demand for skilled personnel – pilots, engineers, ground staff, and logistics professionals – is expected to rise sharply. With over 116 bilateral air service agreements, India is deepening global connectivity as its carriers expand internationally, reinforcing the country’s position as an aviation hub in Asia.
Civil aviation is also driving FDI inflows, technology transfer, and Make in India initiatives in aircraft manufacturing, ground handling, and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) services. Over the past decade, domestic air passenger traffic has grown 10-12 per cent annually.
By 2040, the passenger traffic is expected to grow six-fold to around 1.1 billion. India’s commercial airline fleet is predicted to grow from 400 in 2014 to around 2,359 in March 2040. The total employment due to aviation sector in 2040 is expected to be around 25 million – emerging as a core engine of India’s journey towards becoming a developed economy.
Democratising travel
From metro cities to mountain valleys, the Indian sky has become a map of new possibilities – connecting small towns, enabling tourism, and driving local economies. At the heart of this transformation lies the UDAN scheme under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which has democratised air travel and reshaped India’s regional connectivity landscape.
According to Niti Aayog, domestic travellers accounted for over 83 per cent of total tourism spending in 2019, a figure expected to rise to nearly 89 per cent by 2028. The shift shows how Government initiatives like UDAN have bridged the infrastructure gap and made air travel accessible for millions, connecting remote regions and making air travel affordable and accessible.
Among the UDAN’s key achievements are the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN), which has operationalised 649 routes and connected 93 aerodromes (including two water aerodromes and 15 heliports) across the country. Over 1.56 crore passengers have travelled on RCSUDAN flights, and a total of 3.23 lakh RCS flights have been operated across regional routes nationwide.
Besides, the UDAN Yatri Café initiative provides affordable, quality meals making air travel more inclusive and accessible to all.
As India moves toward its centenary of independence, the aviation sector is charting an ambitious growth path – from 163 airports in 2025 to over 350 by 2047, and passenger traffic expected to cross one billion. These numbers represent a shift towards cleaner fuels, digital airways, and inclusive mobility.
With 25 million jobs projected by 2047 and expanding opportunities in MRO, drone manufacturing, and pilot training; aviation will become a vital pillar of India’s $10 trillion economy. The initiatives pivotal in achieving India’s 2047 vision are: Krishi UDAN that enables faster transport of agricultural produce and perishables; Lifeline UDAN, launched during Covid-19 lockdown to ensure uninterrupted medical and essential supply deliveries; greenfield airports policy; flight training and pilot development; Drone Rules 2021; and the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, a legislative reform aimed at modernising the aviation sector by reenacting the Aircraft Act, 1934, in alignment with contemporary needs and global standards.
As India continues to record unprecedented rise in passenger traffic, expand regional connectivity, and modernise aviation frameworks, the efforts by the Government enhance travel experiences, bolster economic prosperity, strengthen national integration, and empower India to soar towards its vision of becoming a developed nation – Viksit Bharat @2047.
