Heli-India Summit 2022

• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister of Civil Aviation recently launched the 4th Heli-India Summit 2022.

• Theme: Helicopters for Last Mile Connectivity.

What are the Summit's Highlights?

• When announcing the accomplishments in the civil aviation sector, it was mentioned that from 1947 to 2014, the nation had only 74 airports; today, it has 141, with 67 of those being added in the last seven years.
• The current port in Srinagar would be tripled in size, and a civil enclave will be built in Jammu.
• Announced plans to create a HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Services) pilot program and a fractional ownership model.
• By using a combination of owners' capital, the cost barrier for purchasing helicopters and airplanes will be minimized.
• HEMS: Project Sanjeevani will deploy a helicopter to the AIIMS Rishikesh to provide emergency medical services.
• The aircraft will be stationed at the hospital with a 20-minute notice and serve a 150-kilometer radius.

What is the situation in India's civil aviation industry?

• Helicopters serve a variety of purposes, including providing urban connectedness, disaster management during floods, rescue missions, and other emergency medical services.
• In the last three years, India's civil aviation sector has become one of the fastest-growing in the nation. It can be broadly divided into three categories: scheduled air transport service, which includes both domestic and international airlines; non-scheduled air transport service, which includes charter operators and air taxi operators; and air cargo service, which includes the air delivery of mail and cargo.

Significance:

• Within the next ten years, India, which is currently the world's seventh-largest civil aviation industry, is anticipated to overtake the United States as the third-largest civil aviation market.
• According to the International Air Transport Association, (IATA) India is anticipated to surpass China and the United States as the third-largest air passenger market in the world during the next ten years, by 2030. 
• Airports in India estimate that domestic passenger traffic will reach 166.8 million in FY22, up 58.5% year over year, while international passenger traffic will reach 22.1 million, up 118% year over year.

Opportunity:

• 100% of foreign direct investment (FDI) is permitted under the automatic route for both greenfield and brownfield projects, as well as for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services and ground handling services.
• Growth Potential: The Indian civil aviation MRO market, currently valued at over USD 900 million, is projected to increase at a CAGR of roughly 14–15% to reach USD 4.33 billion by 2025.
• By 2038, it is anticipated that the country's fleet of aircraft will have grown fourfold, to about 2500 aircraft.
• Connecting New Airports: As part of the UDAN Scheme, the government plans to build 100 airports by 2024 and build top-notch civil aviation infrastructure to meet international standards.

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