Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged global aviation companies and investors to partner with India in aircraft manufacturing, pilot training, advanced air mobility and aircraft leasing, as the country consolidates its position as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market and pushes its way into a new phase of aviation-led growth.In a recorded video message at the inaugural session of Wings India 2026 on Wednesday evening, Modi said few countries offer India’s combination of scale, political stability and technological ambition. “I invite investors from around the world to join us as co-pilots on India’s flight to success,” he said, calling for long-term partnerships that also contribute to global aviation growth.The opening day, however, was overshadowed by a major crisis after Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s aircraft crashed on Wednesday morning, a development that cast a pall over the event and disrupted the day’s schedule. Union civil aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, who inaugurated the static exhibition area in the morning and was expected to address the main inauguration ceremony in the evening, gave it a miss due to the unfolding situation. Even Telangana deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, who was scheduled to address the inaugural, did not participate in the event.In his message, Modi stressed the need for self-reliance in aviation and pointed to ongoing efforts to build domestic capabilities in aircraft design, manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). He said India is moving from being a parts supplier to manufacturing military and transport aircraft, and eventually civil aircraft.Modi also highlighted opportunities in electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), projecting India as a future producer and exporter of green aviation fuel. He said further reforms in air cargo, digital platforms, off-airport processing and modern warehousing would reduce logistics costs and support India’s ambition to become a competitive transshipment hub, urging investment in warehousing, freight forwarding, express logistics and e-commerce.Crediting a decade of policy focus for making air travel more “inclusive”, Modi said the UDAN regional connectivity scheme enabled about 15 million passengers to fly on routes that did not previously exist. He said the government is preparing the next phase of UDAN to strengthen affordable regional links, including expanded seaplane operations.On infrastructure, Modi said the number of airports has risen from 70 in 2014 to more than 160, with over 100 aerodromes activated. He said India is targeting more than 400 airports by 2047, with tourism expected to drive demand. With passenger traffic rising and fleets expanding, he said Indian carriers have ordered more than 1,500 aircraft in recent years, signalling sustained demand and long-term confidence.
