India to get 11 new flying schools to tackle India's 30000+ pilot shortage.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has completed the tender process for setting up 11 new Flying Training Organisation (FTO) slots at seven of its airports, marking a major step towards expanding domestic pilot training capacity and reducing dependence on overseas flying schools.

The latest e-tender round, launched in February 2026, saw technical bids opened on April 30 and financial bids on May 22. According to AAI documents, the tender process was successfully completed for all identified locations.

The expansion comes as India’s aviation sector prepares for significant growth, with the Ministry of Civil Aviation estimating a requirement of over 30,000 to 31,800 additional pilots over the next decade. Indian airlines are expected to add around 500 aircraft to their fleets over the next five years, while the country’s airport network is projected to expand by another 50 airports.

Currently, India has 41 Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved FTOs operating from 63 flying bases as of April 2026. AAI has highlighted the need for faster growth in domestic training infrastructure to meet the rising demand for pilots sustainably.

The latest initiative builds on earlier efforts by AAI to expand flying training facilities. In 2021, nine FTO slots were awarded across five airports, followed by six more slots at five airports in 2022. The AAI Board has also approved land allotment on a card-rate basis for 25 years at 20 airports to encourage the development of FTOs.

The 11 new FTOs are expected to add 60-70 training aircraft in the initial phase and scale up to a combined fleet of 110-120 aircraft at full capacity. The facilities are also expected to deploy multiple simulators and other training equipment.

At the initial stage, the new FTOs are projected to create annual training capacity for 400-500 aviation professionals, including cadet pilots and technical trainees. Once fully operational, the facilities could train around 1,500 professionals annually, including 700-750 cadets and trainees.

The additional capacity is expected to reduce the need for Indian students to travel abroad for pilot training, retain training expenditure within the country, improve utilisation of regional airports and strengthen the aviation ecosystem.

India has already witnessed growth in pilot licensing numbers, with Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) issuances rising from 640 in 2018 to 1,628 in 2024. In a recent year, the DGCA issued 615 CPLs to foreign-trained cadets along with 2,309 Student Pilot Licences, reflecting increasing interest in aviation careers.

The new FTOs at regional airports are expected to further support this growth by providing more accessible and cost-effective training options for aspiring pilots while improving the utilisation of airport infrastructure.