The challenges faced by India’s civil aviation sector in 2025 have helped strengthen the industry’s focus on safety, efficiency and public confidence, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said on Friday.

Speaking at the Safety Seminar 2025 at the Indian Aviation Academy in New Delhi, Sinha said the past year had been one of learning and transformation for Indian aviation.

“While the challenges have tested our resilience, they have also strengthened our resolve to improve safety, operational efficiency and public trust,” he said. He added that safety in aviation is not a one-time achievement but a continuous journey that requires vigilance, compliance and accountability.

Highlighting the rapid growth of the sector, Sinha said domestic air passenger traffic in India has grown at an average annual rate of 9% over the past 10 years. This steady rise reflects increasing demand for air travel across the country.

He also pointed out that the number of aircraft operated by Indian airlines has more than doubled over the last decade. India’s commercial fleet has grown to 844 aircraft in 2025, compared to 395 aircraft in 2014.

According to Sinha, this sharp increase in fleet size underlines the extraordinary momentum of the Indian aviation industry.

The seminar was held on the theme ‘Enhancing Aviation Safety through Collaboration’, bringing together officials, regulators and industry stakeholders to discuss ways to further strengthen safety standards.

Sinha stressed that as the sector continues to grow rapidly, close coordination among regulators, airlines, airports and service providers will be critical to maintaining high safety standards.

At the same event, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Faiz Ahmed Kidwai highlighted India’s competitive advantages in the aviation sector. He said India has a large pool of skilled and qualified aviation engineers, which supports the industry’s expansion.

Kidwai also noted that operating costs in India are significantly lower compared to countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France, making India an attractive market for aviation growth and investment.

Both officials emphasised that as India’s aviation sector continues to expand rapidly, safety must remain the top priority. The discussions at the seminar focused on learning from recent experiences, strengthening oversight, and working together to ensure safe and efficient operations in the years ahead.