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New Delhi
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in India for the first time in 42 years, marking a significant milestone for the country’s rapidly growing aviation sector. The prestigious event, hosted by IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is taking place in New Delhi from June 1 to 3 and is expected to draw around 1,700 participants, including global industry leaders, government officials, and media representatives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to deliver the keynote address to delegates on June 2, underscoring the importance of India’s role in the global aviation landscape. The return of the IATA AGM to India after more than four decades highlights the nation’s emergence as a major aviation hub, with record aircraft orders, robust passenger growth, and world-class airport infrastructure developments in recent years.
IATA, which represents approximately 350 airlines accounting for over 80% of global air traffic, emphasized the dramatic transformation of India’s aviation sector, particularly over the past decade.
According to IATA, India’s aviation industry directly employs nearly 370,000 people and contributes $5.6 billion to the nation’s GDP. When indirect and tourism-related activities are included, the sector supports 7.7 million jobs and generates $53.6 billion, or about 1.5% of India’s GDP.
Following the AGM, the World Air Transport Summit (WATS) will address key issues facing the industry, such as the financial outlook for airlines, India’s strategic use of aviation for development, financing net-zero emissions, and the relationship between energy security, renewable energy, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.
