India fears pilot shortage, calls for global recruitment rules

As one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, India is facing a shortage of experienced pilots, undermining Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hopes of turning the country into a job-creating global aviation hub.

The catastrophic Air India crash in July that killed at least 279 people, including 241 on board, has brought the country's aviation industry under closer scrutiny.

According to Reuters news agency on August 7, in a document New Delhi sent to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in early August, foreign airlines continuously recruited experienced personnel from Indian airlines, "adversely affecting the ability of the Indian civil aviation industry to develop in an orderly manner."

The document said foreign airlines often try to attract highly skilled pilots, engineers, technicians and cabin crew, preventing the Indian aviation industry from achieving its planned growth targets.

This creates a “vicious cycle” that forces domestic firms to continuously recruit and train replacement staff, diverting resources from expansion and operational improvement activities.

This report is published on the ICAO website in advance of the organization's triennial General Assembly.

In addition, the document drafted by New Delhi calls for the development of a code of conduct on the movement of skilled aviation personnel among ICAO member states, although it does not specify the operating mechanism.

In April, the Indian government said the country would need 30,000 pilots in the next 15-20 years, compared with the current figure of only about 6,000-7,000, as airlines have ordered more than 1,700 planes.

In 2023, Air India publicly argued with domestic low-cost airline Akasa Air about "winning" pilots within the country.

The report also warned that these series of challenges cause economic losses, affect the competitiveness of Indian airlines in the international market and hinder the target of reaching 300 million domestic passengers by 2030.

India's domestic aviation industry is currently led by IndiGo and Air India, while major international carriers such as Emirates (United Arab Emirates), British Airways (UK) and Lufthansa (Germany) continue to operate flights to and from the country as usual.