India Issues 1,331 Commercial Pilot Licences in First Half of 2026

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that 1,331 commercial pilot licences (CPL) were issued in India between January and June 2026. Of these, 791 licences were granted to cadets trained at Indian flying training organisations, while 540 were to candidates who completed training abroad, meaning roughly 41% obtained foreign training. The data show a steady increase in licences compared with previous years – 1,165 in 2022, 1,622 in 2023, 1,347 in early 2024 and 1,652 in 2025. India now has 41 DGCA‑approved flying training organisations operating from 63 bases with a fleet of over 400 training aircraft, capable of training about 3,500 students at any time. The expansion aligns with growing demand from Indian airlines, which are expanding fleets and networks and anticipate the need for thousands of new pilots in the coming years.