The Ministry of Civil Aviation, under the leadership of Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, hosted a curtain raiser event in New Delhi for Wings India 2026, Asia’s largest civil aviation exhibition. Organised in partnership with FICCI, the event was held at Hotel Taj Palace and marked the official launch of the Wings India 2026 brochure, promotional video, and mobile app—designed to facilitate global participation and engagement.In his keynote address, Minister Naidu highlighted India’s transformation into the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, with aspirations to become the third-largest overall passenger market soon. He said the government is advancing with a focused roadmap to realise the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision, prioritising modernisation, last-mile connectivity, and adoption of future technologies.Unveiling the official theme — “Indian Aviation: Paving the Future – from Design to Deployment, Manufacturing to Maintenance, Inclusivity to Innovation and Safety to Sustainability” — Naidu called Wings India 2026 more than just an event: “It is a bold declaration of India’s ambition to lead global aviation.”Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol noted that India’s aviation rise is powered not only by national policy but by robust contributions from state governments. The UDAN scheme has integrated Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities into the national aviation grid, fuelling tourism, trade, and jobs. To strengthen coordination, regional ministerial conferences will be held to align on goals and address local challenges.Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha stressed the importance of sustainability and innovation, noting India’s potential to lead in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and its readiness to embrace Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies such as drones and eVTOLs.Airports Authority of India Chairman Vipin Kumar highlighted AAI’s pivotal role in expanding infrastructure and modernising air navigation services nationwide.FICCI Civil Aviation Committee Chairperson and Airbus India President, Remi Maillard, described India as being at the cusp of becoming the world’s top aviation market. He called for further innovation, sustainable practices, and investment in skill-building.The launch was attended by senior officials from MoCA, AAI, and FICCI, as well as global aviation leaders, diplomats, and media representatives.Wings India 2026 will take place from 28 to 31 January 2026 at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad, and will gather key players from across the aviation spectrum, including airlines, manufacturers, cargo firms, airport developers, skill agencies, and investors.