India to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035: Jyotiraditya Scindia

Gwalior: India is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current level of 14.5 crore and that is the growth potential that international players can look at, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday.

The minister also said that the regional air connectivity has democratised civil aviation and has spawned four regional carriers.

He highlighted the growth potential of the country's civil aviation sector and urged international players to "look at India".

He was speaking at the International Aerospace Conference in Gwalior organised by industry body CII.

According to him, the country is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current 14.5 crore passengers.

In July, domestic air traffic surged 25 per cent to 1.21 crore passengers compared to the year-ago period, as per official data.

It is "imperative" to grow civil aviation as a service as well as a product, Scindia said and stressed that it is time for aerospace players to supplant themselves in India.

The theme of the conference is 'Moving Towards Inclusive Global Value Chain'.