Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on June 7 launched a national aero sports policy, which established a four-tier governance structure to promote 11 disciplines including ballooning, para gliding and aerobatics. “Multiple locations for air sports will be established across the country,” the Minister said.
“We are also thinking of creating a segregated airspace for air sports in certain corridors much like what we have done with drones. That will help in proliferating these sports,” Mr. Scindia said. “The Centre is also contemplating an incentive scheme to promote manufacturing of air sports equipment in India,” he revealed.
"It is time to emerge as a global capital for air sports leveraging the energy of our youth. The policy has been made with a vision of making India one of the top air sports nations by 2030," he mentioned.
The government has identified 11 sports — aerobatics, aero modelling and rocketry, ballooning, amateur-built and experimental aircraft, drones, gliding and power gliding, hand gliding and power hand gliding, parachuting, paragliding and paramotoring, powered aircraft and rotor aircraft — under the policy. The list of 11 sports may be extended, the Minister said.
"In many States, a lot of small companies are involved in the 11 air sports mentioned in the policy. Currently, Indian air sports industry has a revenue of ₹80-100 crore and we want this industry to reach a revenue of ₹10,000 crore," he said. In the governance structure, Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) will be the apex governing body.
National associations for individual air sports will be in the second tier, regional units and State affiliates will be in the third tier, and district-level associations will be in the fourth tier.
"We must make sure that safety is maintained. There is a very high level of risk with air sports as well and therefore, on the first hand, we must ensure that there is complete coordination with air traffic controller (ATC)." Every national air sports association will rely on airspace data published by the aeronautical information publication as well as notice to airmen (NOTAM). Mr. Scindia said the Centre has put in place penalties, fines and levies for those who disregard safety requirements.
