Hope to have Made-in-India civilian aircraft in 2 years: Naidu

NEW DELHI: Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday expressed hope that India will have the first indigenous civilian aircraft within two years through a joint venture.

Highlighting the growth potential of the country's civil aviation sector, the minister said airlines have more than 1,600 aircraft on order that are estimated to be worth about USD 100 billion and more than 100 new airports are expected in the next 10 years.

Currently, there are 165 airports and the current fleet of planes with domestic airlines is around 850.

"Within two years, we will be able to have Made-In-India civilian aircraft" through a joint venture, Naidu said and emphasised that the ecosystem is growing.

He did not disclose specific details.

"We can create the best policy," the minister said as he also mentioned about the need to focus on the quality of materials as well as skilling of people for high end manufacturing activities in the aviation space.

Currently, aircraft makers Boeing and Airbus source components and services worth around USD 4 billion from India and the amount is expected to touch USD 10 billion by the end of the decade, the minister said.

India is one of the world's fastest growing domestic civil aviation markets.

Speaking at the symposium of the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IQFM) in the national capital, Naidu also said the government would also look at the possibility of manufacturing jet engines in the country but that would be a time-consuming process.

He was participating in a session with Tata Steel MD and CEO T V Narendran.

About sustainability efforts, the minister said India has the potential to become an exporter of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and also that the government would work on having a carbon credit mechanism that would help industries.