Recent News

Bengaluru,19 April, 2025: The IIM Bangalore in partnership with TBS Education hosted the “ 8th International Conference on the Future of Aviation and Aerospace (FoAA)” with focus on India’s increasing role in global supply chains , its market potential, design and manufacture in India, EVtol and drone market, and the future of AI and Analytics in the sector. The day-long conference witnessed the presence of many renowned aviation sector stalwarts from India and overseas, who addressed on various key issues. In the keynote address, Sabyasachi Srinivas, VP, Collins Aerospace, deciphered India’s growing R&D capabilities and the role of digital enablers like Generative AI and Digital Twin technologies in transforming aviation, while Prof. Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, highlighted the need to strengthen human capital to fully realize the sector’s design and manufacturing potential. The conference was chaired by Prof. G. Shainesh and Prof. S. Raghunath who highlighted the FoAA’s evolution into a premier knowledge platform over the past eight years while Prof. Raghunath emphasized on India’s ambition to capture 10% of the global aerospace supply chain through enhanced design and engineering capabilities. At the panel discussion on ‘Exploring Market Potential for Aviation’, Sunil Bhaskaran, Director – Air India Aviation Academy described the GMAE programme at IIMB as a very important piece in developing leadership in the sector as Bangalore is the hub of innovation and growth. “The impact of aviation on the Indian economy is large. Some of the best airports in the world are now in India. The aviation ecosystem is seeing tremendous growth with an order book of over 1700 aircraft. In such a scenario, we need trained manpower, and at our academy, we train pilots and engineers not just for India but also for the developed world,” he said. Meaningful connections were forged, potential collaborations explored, and professional networks across global and domestic players enhanced at the conference. The delegates believe the annual conference serves as a vibrant platform to stay current with the latest research, policy developments, and best practices that are driving the future of aviation and aerospace.

UAE,20th April 2025: A contingent of the Indian Air Force reached Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates to participate in Exercise Desert Flag-10, a premier multinational air combat exercise. The IAF is fielding MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft in the exercise. Exercise Desert Flag is a multinational exercise being hosted by the UAE Air Force, with participating contingents from the Air Forces of Australia, Bahrain, France, Germany, Qatar Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, and the United States in addition to the Indian Air Force. The exercise is scheduled to take place between 21 April to 08 May 2025. The aim of the exercise is to undertake complex and diverse fighter engagements, with exchange of operational knowledge and best practices with some of the most capable Air Forces in the world. Participation in such exercises enhances mutual understanding interoperability, and strengthens military cooperation among the participating nations. The IAF’s participation underscores India’s commitment to strengthening defence ties and interoperability with friendly nations in the region and beyond.

Panaji, 17th April 2025: FLY91 has increased the frequency for its Sindhudurg-Pune-Sindhudurg flights from twice a week to five times a week, following encouraging footfalls on the route and ahead of the upcoming summer vacation. The increased frequency is expected to provide a significant boost to tourism and business travel in Maharashtra and comes ahead of the summer vacation, which witnesses a spike in holiday travel. Manoj Chacko, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FLY91, stated, “Strengthening regional connectivity is at the heart of FLY91’s mission. Increasing the frequency of our Sindhudurg-Pune service reflects our commitment to making travel easier and more accessible. We are optimistic that this enhanced schedule will encourage more travellers to explore Sindhudurg while also supporting local businesses, while residents of Sindhudurg will find it easier to access a key city in Maharashtra. Our long-term vision includes daily flights on this route, subject to demand and infrastructure availability.” “The increase in frequency of FLY91 flights on the Sindhudurg-Pune-Sindhudurg route will provide easy access for local residents to travel to an urban hub of trade, service and culture like Pune, while at the same time, help attract more tourists from Pune and nearby areas to an emerging coastal tourism destination like Sindhudurg,” said Capt. Jai Singh Sadana, Chief Adviser & Head -Sindhudurg Airport, a domestic airport developed by IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited.

Astana, 17th April 2025: Air Astana will launch direct flights from Atyrau in western Kazakhstan to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan on 31st May 2025. The new service will be operated three times a week using Airbus A320/A321 aircraft, with a flight time of 1 hour 25 minutes outbound and 1 hour 35 minutes return. Flight KC277 will depart from Atyrau on Mondays and Saturdays at 18:30, arriving in Baku at 18:55, and on Wednesdays at 21:35, arriving at 22:00. The return flight KC278 from Baku to Atyrau will operate on Mondays and Saturdays, departing at 19:55 and arriving at 22:30, and on Wednesdays, departing at 23:00 and arriving at 01:35 the next day. All times local. The new route from Atyrau to Baku will complement the airline’s existing flights from Almaty to Baku, which operate three times a week during the summer season. The network expansion will open up more opportunities for leisure and business trips between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

New Delhi, 10th April 2025: Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu launched a ‘Career Guidance Programme in Aviation’ for school students, with the inaugural session held at the Indian Aviation Academy, New Delhi. The initiative aims to inspire and educate students of Classes 11 and 12 about diverse career pathways within the aviation sector — from piloting and air traffic control to aircraft design, airport management, and beyond. An interactive session was conducted by women pilots, during which they addressed students’ queries and shared insights from their professional journeys. The students participated with great enthusiasm, making it a highly engaging and inspiring exchange. The minister addressed the students and shared the vision behind this initiative. “We want to capture that passion. We want to have more people involved in aviation. The way that Indian aviation is growing is like no other country,” he said, while highlighting the importance of nurturing talent early to match the pace of India’s booming aviation ecosystem. He emphasized the scale of upcoming opportunities: “There Is a demand of 1700 new planes, and each plane creates a demand of 15 to 20 pilots. That means you’re creating 34,000 jobs on just pilots itself. We don’t want foreigners to come here and pilot our planes. We want our own Indian students… our Indian community to cater to the demand that’s grown domestically.” Underscoring the government’s achievements and future roadmap, the Minister noted, “In 2014, there were 74 airports. We doubled it up. Now the number of airports in the country is up to 159. And now I’ll be the Minister for the next five years and I want to plan to build 50 more airports. The government has decided that in the next 10 years, we have to bring 120 new destinations in the country.” He encouraged students to take ownership of their aspirations. “Each one of those planes you see up are not just aircrafts, but they are a whole universe of possibilities waiting for your approval,” he said. “As early as you decide, as early as you tap into the passion that you have, it becomes much easier for you to guide yourself in that path,” he added. In addition to policy support and infrastructure expansion, the Minister highlighted key legislative reforms, such as the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam and the Aircraft Protection of Interest in Aircraft Object Bill, which aim to bolster the domestic aviation ecosystem and stimulate employment. Special attention was given to the presence and encouragement of women pilots at the event. “Much of the focus has been because there are a lot of charming pilots here, especially the women pilots who have given you patiently, heard you and given you all the answers,” Ram Mohan Naidu said, inspiring young students to look beyond traditional career perceptions. With India poised to become a global aviation hub, this initiative marks a strategic move to align young talent with the country’s ambitious aviation growth trajectory.

Geneva, April 8, 2025: SITA and NEC Corporation have signed an agreement to accelerate the adoption of digital identity technology in the travel industry.Through this collaboration, NEC joins SITA’s Digital Travel Ecosystem, an open, interoperable framework that connects various systems for real-time digital identity verification. Developed in partnership with Indicio, SITA’s ecosystem eliminates the need for direct integrations between issuers and verifiers, simplifying adoption for airports, airlines and governments. At the core of the ecosystem is the Trust Network, which governs how digital credentials are shared securely around the world. Built with a privacy-by-design approach, it gives travelers control over their data, including when and with whom they share their credentials. Strong emphasis on data security and privacy means that personal information remains protected and in the hands of the traveler. With 28% of airlines and 43% of airports planning to implement biometric identity management solutions in the next 12 months (SITA Air Transport IT Insights 2024), demand for interoperable systems is growing. Alack of standardization has slowed widespread adoption, but the SITA-NEC collaboration addresses this challenge through a scalable framework for secure identity exchange. “After years of investment, aviation and other travel stakeholders are now seeing the full potential of digital identities, and the industry is gearing up to scale,” said Jeremy Springall, Senior Vice President of Borders at SITA. “With NEC’s biometric expertise and SITA’s industry-leading footprint of biometric touchpoints around the world, we’re well-positioned to accelerate the transformation of Digital Travel worldwide.” “NEC brings more than 125 years of innovation and a global track record in trusted identity technologies,” said NanaumiNagamine, Senior Director of the DID Department at NEC. “With SITA, we’ve delivered proven biometric solutions at airports around the world, creating secure and seamless travel experiences for thousands of passengers every day. This expanded collaboration will accelerate global adoption and set a new standard for trusted digital identity in travel.” By addressing longstanding interoperability challenges, the SITA and NEC collaboration will increase the adoption of digital identities by passengers, helping the industry reduce bottlenecks, improve security, and enhance the passenger experience at every touchpoint.

Mumbai,3rd April 2025: Paras Defence and Space Technologies has signed a strategic MoU with MicroCon Vision , Israel, part of Controp and the Rafael Group, marking a significant advancement in India’s defence and drone industry. This collaboration will position Paras Defence as exclusive supplier of advanced drone camera technology in India, at much lower cost. Paras Defence will bring high indigenous content in these drone cameras and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) payloads, improving the country’s self-reliance while lowering costs. It will offer two models, whose usual import price is around Rs.20 lakh and Rs.40 lakh per unit. Paras Defence anticipates 50-60% price reduction for each model, making advanced surveillance technology more accessible to Indian defence forces and for commercial applications. MicroCon will serve as Paras Defence’s exclusive supplier for drone cameras which include ISR payloads and Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) seekers, while Paras Defence becomes MicroCon’s exclusive partner for ISR operations in India. This aligns with MicroCon’s strategy to expand its footprint in the country which is witnessing accelerated growth in its drone market. “This collaboration represents a major leap forward in India’s defence capabilities,” stated Munjal Sharad Shah, Managing Director of Paras Defence. “We are committed to supporting India’s strategic goals and are proud to partner with MicroCon in this groundbreaking endeavour.” The MoU is focused on expanding both companies’ presence in the Indian ISR payload market. The integration of advanced technologies like AI-powered analytics, high-resolution imaging, and thermal vision will enhance surveillance capabilities, improving operational efficiency in both defence and civilian sectors. “MicroCon is committed to delivering cutting-edge ISR payloads that drive the future of defence and surveillance systems,” said Chen Almog, CEO of MicroCon. “We are excited about our collaboration with Paras Defence, which is a key component of our strategy to establish strong local partnerships worldwide. We are confident this partnership will drive growth in the Indian tactical ISR and EO/IR seekers market. By combining MicroCon’s global expertise with Paras Defence’s local insights, we will foster innovation and strengthen the defence infrastructure. This partnership reflects our shared vision for advancing high-performance drone technology and creating lasting impact on both defence and commercial applications.” As the Indian drone market enters a pivotal growth phase, this partnership addresses a critical gap, with drone cameras being one of the most expensive payloads currently imported. By leveraging MicroCon’s expertise in ISR payloads and EO/IR seekers, Paras Defence aims to meet domestic demand and position India as a global manufacturing hub for advanced technologies. The Indian drone market, projected to grow approximately 17% by 2029, driven by demand from defence, homeland security, disaster management, and industrial sectors, will benefit from this collaboration. Strengthening India-Israel defence ties has been key in enabling this transformative partnership.