NEW DELHI: The aviation sector has been accorded much priority in India with investments by the government as well as airlines like Indigo and Air India, said Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).He was responding to a query regarding the Dublin airport being impacted due to a passenger cap of 32 million being imposed there during a joint media briefing with Pieter Elbers, the CEO of Indigo, on the second day of the IATA annual general meet. Walsh cited the instance of India booming in the aviation sector due to the complete support the industry received. “Such artificial caps like that being in Dublin should not be enforced,” he said.Elbers said that India’s aviation growth is a holistic one with both Delhi and Mumbai set to have their second airports. Elaborating on the returns the sector offered, the CEO said, “Every rupee invested in aviation gives a return of Rs 3, every dollar gives three dollars in return. A single job created in aviation creates six jobs in other areas.”By 2027, India would overtake Germany and become the third largest economy in the world while it has recently overtaken Japan to become the fourth largest one, Elbers pointed out. “Aviation is an integral part of economic growth,” he stressed. “There is an incredible pool of talent and ambition in India. The country must create infrastructure for the MRO (Maintain, Repair and Overhaul) industry. Traffic and business will go to countries where it is good to do business,” he added.
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