India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued 1,331 Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) during the first six months of 2026, with 41% of the newly licensed pilots completing their training at overseas Flying Training Organisations (FTOs), according to data presented in the Rajya Sabha.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said 791 licences were issued to cadets trained at Indian FTOs, while 540 licences went to cadets who completed their training abroad. The government also noted that 1,652 CPLs were issued in 2025, compared to 1,347 in 2024, reflecting the growing demand for trained pilots.
India currently has 41 DGCA-approved Flying Training Organisations operating across 63 bases with a fleet of more than 400 training aircraft. The government said it has introduced several measures to strengthen domestic pilot training, including simplifying the approval process for FTOs, revising training regulations, and expanding infrastructure to support the country’s rapidly growing aviation sector.