"This year will be great for aviation": Aviation Minister inaugurates Wing India 2026 with manufacturing in focus

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], January 28 (ANI): Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Wednesday inaugurated Wings India 2026 at Begumpet Airport, describing it as one of Asia's most significant aviation summits held once every two years.
Hosted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation with the support of the Telangana government, the event aims to highlight India's growing strength in civil aviation manufacturing and rising demand in the sector.
Minister Naidu said the government's focus over the next decade will be on strengthening the country's manufacturing ecosystem to meet future aviation requirements. He expressed confidence that India could emerge as a global exporter in civil aviation within the next 10 to 12 years.
"We inaugurated Wings India 2026 at Begumpet Airport. It is the most important aviation summit that we hold every two years. It is one of the biggest summits in Asia. We are proud to host this event on behalf of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. We also thank Telangana. In this edition of Wings India 2026, we are confident we can showcase the strength of our manufacturing sector in civil aviation and the demand for it. What we are trying to do right now and over the next decade is improve the country's manufacturing ecosystem," he said.
Highlighting a major development, the Civil Aviation Minister said the aircraft display inaugurated at the summit includes the Boeing 787-9, specially fitted for Air India, marking the aircraft's first delivery.
"We feel that the manufacturing ecosystem is to cater to the growing demand in the coming decade. India can also become a global exporter in the coming 10-12 years. Today, we have also inaugurated the aircraft display. Here you see 787-9 aircraft specially fitted for Air India. This is the first delivery of this aircraft. The major bottleneck in aviation is the delivery of aircraft. I am confident that the arrival of aircraft will give the aviation sector a great boost. I feel this year will be great for aviation...," Ram Mohan Naidu said.
Wings India 2026, Asia's largest civil aviation event, is scheduled to be held from January 28 to 31, 2026, at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad.
It is expected to bring together key stakeholders from across the global aviation ecosystem and reflect India's growing role in international civil aviation.
Wings India 2026 will feature an international exhibition, static aircraft displays, aerobatic flying shows, a global aviation conference, ministerial plenary sessions and a Global CEOs Forum. The programme also includes CEO roundtables, B2B and B2G meetings, an aviation job fair, a student innovation competition and an awards ceremony.
Over the past decade, India's civil aviation sector has seen significant growth. Passenger traffic has increased multi-fold, placing India among the world's leading aviation markets. Indian carriers have inducted hundreds of new aircraft, with record aircraft orders positioning the country as one of the largest future aircraft markets globally.
India is also emerging as a hub for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), pilot training, aerospace manufacturing, cargo logistics and advanced air mobility. (ANI)