India is aiming to increase women’s participation across its aviation workforce to 25 per cent, as the government seeks to build on the country’s strong record of female representation in aviation, particularly among pilots.
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India is aiming to increase women’s participation across its aviation workforce to 25 per cent, as the government seeks to build on the country’s strong record of female representation in aviation, particularly among pilots.
Speaking at an industry event on Monday, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said women currently account for around 15 per cent of pilots in India, significantly higher than the global average of about 5 per cent. He said the government now wants to extend that progress across the broader aviation ecosystem.
“Nari Shakti is powering India’s aviation growth. Women already make up 15 per cent of our pilots, against 5 per cent globally,” Naidu said. He added that the government is working towards increasing women’s participation to 25 per cent across the aviation workforce.
The minister said the government’s ambition goes beyond increasing the number of women pilots and focuses on creating opportunities across a wider range of aviation roles.
According to Naidu, the target covers both established and emerging segments of the sector, including airport operations and new-age aviation technologies.
He said India has consistently created space for women to enter the industry, contribute to its growth and assume leadership positions. The next phase, he noted, is to deepen participation across all areas of the aviation value chain.
India continues to outperform many global aviation markets when it comes to female representation among pilots.
Key figures highlighted by the minister include:
Naidu said India’s performance demonstrates the progress made in improving gender diversity within aviation, while also highlighting the scope for further expansion.
He described the country’s participation levels as substantially higher than global benchmarks and said efforts must continue to sustain that momentum.
The government’s plans also include increasing women’s representation in newer areas of aviation.
Naidu said women should play a larger role in airport-related jobs as well as emerging segments such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) ecosystems, which are expected to become an important part of future urban air mobility networks.
The minister indicated that workforce planning for the sector’s next phase of growth should incorporate stronger female participation from the outset.
Alongside workforce participation, Naidu emphasised the importance of ensuring women can progress into leadership positions across aviation organisations.
He said the sector should continue creating environments where women can participate comfortably, build long-term careers and take on greater responsibilities.
Referring to the number of women present at the event, the minister said he was encouraged by the level of participation and expressed hope that more women would be inspired to pursue careers in aviation.
As India continues expanding airport infrastructure, airline capacity and emerging aviation technologies, increasing female representation is likely to remain a key component of the sector’s workforce strategy. The government’s 25 per cent target signals a broader effort to ensure aviation growth is accompanied by greater gender diversity across operational, technical and leadership roles.
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