Pune – The Ministry of Civil Aviation, in collaboration with the State Government of Maharashtra, Pawan Hans and FICCI, on 24^th June, 205 organized the 7th Helicopter & Small Aircraft Summit. The Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, presided as the Chief Guest while Mr Murlidhar Mohol, MoS for Civil Aviation, Govt of India was the Guest of Honor.

The summit witnessed active participation from 20 State Governments, industry leaders, IFSCA (GIFT City), the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, AAI and Pawan Hans Ltd.

In his keynote address, Minister Mr Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu shared his vision to promote helicopters and small aircraft as essential components of a futuristic aviation ecosystem. He stated, “I believe the next decade of aviation will be defined not just by large aircraft and mega airports but by modern and inclusive air solutions. Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, helicopters and small aircraft are at the heart of our mission to democratize flying.”

The Minister announced the establishment of a dedicated Helicopter Directorate under the DGCA to provide single-window regulatory oversight, address helicopter-specific safety and certification issues and assist operators with procedural requirements. He highlighted digital initiatives like the Heli Sewa Portal, which have streamlined operations and digitized processes such as route approvals and slot allocations, significantly enhancing transparency and efficiency. The summit also saw the award of RCS UDAN helicopter routes across various states.

Speaking to operators and industry leaders, the Minister emphasized building a robust safety culture. He remarked, “Safety of the pilgrims must remain our top priority—there can be no shortcuts, no room for communication errors and no margin for poor decision-making. We must build a culture of trust, dialogue and discipline which I feel is a shared responsibility between the Centre, the States and the operators.”

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, Mr Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu emphasized that helicopters and small aircraft will form the backbone of India’s regional air connectivity, economic transformation and inclusive growth.