India is set to establish 11 new Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) across seven Airports Authority of India (AAI)-managed airports, significantly expanding the country's pilot training capacity.
The move is aimed at addressing the projected requirement of more than 30,000 pilots over the next 10 years as airlines rapidly expand their fleets.
The new flying schools are expected to add hundreds of trainer aircraft, flight simulators and modern training infrastructure, enabling thousands of aspiring pilots to receive world-class training within India. The expansion is also expected to reduce dependence on expensive overseas pilot training while strengthening the country's aviation ecosystem.
The initiative comes amid record aircraft orders by Indian carriers and the government's push to expand regional connectivity with new airports. By boosting domestic training capacity, India aims to build a skilled pilot workforce capable of supporting one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets.