NEW DELHI. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu issued Letters of Intent for 11 new Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) across seven AAI airports, boosting India’s annual capacity by 750 cadet pilots. He also launched the FTO IFR Slot Booking App to streamline instrument training.
Supported by policy reforms, digital licensing, and royalty waivers, Indian FTOs expanded training aircraft from 324 to 385 over two years, while CPL issuances reached a decade-high of 1,652 in 2025. Key highlights include IGRUA achieving a budget surplus after two decades and progress on the indigenous HANSA-3 (NG) trainer aircraft.
Aligned with Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, this expansion aims to support Indian airlines’ order book of 1,640 aircraft under the vision “Train in India, Fly in India,” with safety remaining the topmost priority.
