India needs 30,000 pilots in next 2 decades as aviation industry expands: Minister. Domestic airlines have placed orders for more than 1,700 aircraft, adding to the current fleet of over 800 planes. The aviation ministry is working on a strategy to categorise airports, including the possibility of having dedicated airports for cargo operations and pilot training. There are currently 6,000 to 7,000 working pilots, and with the growing demand, India should aim to become a hub for pilot training, K. Rammohan Naidu said. He was speaking at an event for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 200 trainer aircraft. The government aims to strengthen infrastructure and training facilities to meet the industry’s future needs. It is also reviewing 38 Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) and will introduce a rating system for them. This initiative will be a game-changer in empowering the next generation of skilled pilots in India, the minister said. It will provide indigenously manufactured trainer aircraft to India’‘s FTOs, reducing import dependency and strengthening our aviation training ecosystem,’ he added.