The International Conference on Air Mobility, held at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, concluded on January 22, 2025, marking a significant milestone in India’s aviation and air mobility sector. The two-day event, part of the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, focused on “Aerial Evolution: Shaping Tomorrow’s Urban Air Mobility” and brought together policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to explore the future of urban air mobility (UAM) and its role in sustainable cities and economic growth. Organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and supported by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the conference highlighted India’s commitment to adopting cutting-edge air mobility technologies.
Mr S. C. Karol, Director of DPIIT, highlighted sector challenges, particularly infrastructure gaps hindering India’s full potential. He noted that India handles only 5% of global air cargo, presenting a growth opportunity, especially with India’s fast-growing economy. Karol emphasised the government’s initiatives, including “Make in India” and PM Gati Shakti, which focus on integrated infrastructure planning across airports, railways and roads. He also mentioned DPIIT’s work on improving air cargo efficiency and reducing logistics costs.
Addressing the panel, Mr C. K. Govil, President of the Air Cargo Agents Association of India, emphasised the importance of initiatives like “Make in India” and “Make in India for the World” in promoting local manufacturing. He expressed concern about high freight rates and their impact on India’s product competitiveness, calling for increased cargo capacity and more reasonable pricing.
Summing up key takeaways, Mr Amit Dutta, Chairman of the CII Task Force on Short Haul Air Mobility & Managing Director, Hunch Mobility, noted the wide-ranging discussions on regulatory frameworks, infrastructure challenges and solutions positioning India to lead in the UAM ecosystem. He highlighted the growth of India’s drone sector, with over 22,000 registered drones and the success of the PLI scheme, which saw an impressive increase in turnover.
He emphasised that Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aligns with the Prime Minister’s 7Cs vision, fostering sustainability, connectivity and innovation, while reshaping mobility and enhancing India’s global position.
MoCA and DGCA’s creation of six working groups reflected India’s proactive approach, he said. Ensuring passenger safety and data protection in the AAM ecosystem was emphasised. India’s potential as a global AAM manufacturing hub was highlighted, with a focus on sustainable technologies, resilient supply chains, and OEM collaborations, he added, as per a release.