Women Pilots Account for 15% of the Pilot Workforce in India

India has a relatively high proportion of female pilots, with women accounting for 15% of the country’s pilots, nearly triple the global average of 5%, according to an official statement released on Thursday, 24 March 2023. 

However, despite this progress, the statement revealed that the Indian government currently does not have any special programs in place to encourage pilot training among women and disadvantaged groups, including scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Also, there are currently 67 expat pilots working with various air operators in the country, it said.

According to an official statement, Indian scheduled airlines have recruited a total of 244 pilots in 2021 so far. Industry estimates indicate that India may need around 1,000 pilots per year for the next five years. However, the actual requirement of commercial pilots may vary based on factors such as the financial health of airlines, their expansion plans, and overall growth in the aviation sector.

As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), there are approximately 10,000 pilots including 67 foreign nationals employed with various domestic airlines in India, it added.

According to the release, there are 35 DGCA approved Flight Training Organisations (FTOs) in the country, operating at 53 bases. sources