Sakthi Aircraft Industry Pvt Ltd (SAIPL) and the Aero Club of India announced a tie-up to manufacture and supply 200 Diamond DA40 NG trainer aircraft. This will be the first ever private manufacturing of trainer aircraft in India, aligned with Govt’s “Make in India’ initiative. SAIPL will commence deliveries by May 2025, with an initial target of 70 aircraft by the end of 2025. Union aviation minister Rammohan Naidu said: “The signing of this MoU is a significant milestone in our vision to establish India as a global hub for FTOs” The Diamond DA 40 NG (next generation) is a single-engine, four-seat aircraft with a glass cockpit, typically featuring the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite. The collaboration is projected to train 1,000 pilots annually and 10,000 pilot over the next 10 years, equipping them to operate the entire range of commercial aircraft.