IATA AGM 2025 highlights India’s strategic role in global aviation

The 81st IATA AGM 2025 and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) held from June 1 to 3 in New Delhi marked a defining moment for India’s ascent in global aviation. This was the first time in 42 years that India hosted the prestigious global aviation gathering. Organised under the aegis of IATA and hosted by IndiGo, the event brought together around 1,700 senior representatives from airlines, governments, international organisations, and the media from around the world. The high-level IATA gathering in New Delhi made it unmistakably clear: India is no longer on the sidelines of the global aviation industry. It is actively shaping its future. During the plenary session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation, signalled India’s clear intent to position itself as a major aviation hub, driven by strong domestic demand, robust infrastructure development, and a focus on sustainability and innovation. With India now ranking as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, the country aims to double its annual air traffic to 500 million passengers by 2030. A key highlight was the emphasis on India’s Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) ambitions, alongside the growing investment opportunities in the Indian civil aviation value chain.