Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday, 10 August announced that the government is actively working to raise women's participation across India's aviation workforce to 25 per cent, building on a baseline that already far outpaces the global average. Speaking at an industry event in New Delhi, Naidu underscored that India's aviation sector stands as a global outlier on gender inclusion — and intends to widen that lead.

Where India Stands Today

Women currently account for approximately 15 per cent of pilots in India, compared with roughly 5 per cent globally — a threefold advantage that Naidu described as a source of national pride. 'Nari Shakti is powering India's aviation growth. Women already make up 15 per cent of our pilots, against 5 per cent globally,' the Minister said at the event.

He noted that India is effectively already halfway to its stated target, adding that the country has 'consistently provided space for women to enter, participate, contribute and take leadership roles in the aviation sector.'

Scope of the 25 Per Cent Target

Naidu clarified that the 25 per cent goal is not limited to the cockpit. The target encompasses women's participation across the broader aviation ecosystem — from airport operations and ground handling to emerging segments such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. 'No matter what, let it be the airport-related jobs, or let it be the eVTOLs, or whatever ecosystems that we are creating, we want to see more participation of women,' he said.

Why This Matters for Indian Aviation

India's commercial aviation market is among the fastest-growing in the world, with passenger traffic projected to expand significantly over the next decade. A widening talent pipeline that actively includes women is seen as critical to sustaining that growth without running into workforce bottlenecks. Notably, the push into eVTOLs signals that the government is thinking beyond legacy aviation roles, positioning women as early entrants in next-generation air mobility.

This comes amid broader policy momentum around gender inclusion in infrastructure sectors, where women's representation has historically lagged. The aviation sector's comparatively strong numbers, Naidu argued, should serve as a template rather than a ceiling.

Encouraging More Women to Enter the Sector

The Minister also stressed the importance of building an environment where women can participate comfortably and ascend to leadership positions. Referring to the attendance of women at the event, he said he was encouraged to see 'good numbers' and expressed hope that more women would be inspired to pursue careers in aviation across all its emerging dimensions.

With the government's stated target now on record, the next step will be translating the ambition into structured programmes — recruitment pipelines, scholarship schemes, and mentorship frameworks — that can move the needle from 15 per cent to 25 per cent within a defined timeframe.