India’s business and general aviation sector is growing fast, pushed by higher travel demand and new regional connections. At Wings India 2026, officials and experts said this expansion marks a sharp shift in the country’s aviation landscape. Asangba Chuba Ao, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said the government now recognizes business aviation, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and regional transport planes as distinct segments. "There is now a clear distinction between helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, regional transport aircraft and business aviation," he said. The growth is visible both at the high end with business jets and at the low end with schemes like Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN), which brings many first-time flyers and strengthens regional links. However, challenges remain. The panel flagged maintenance infrastructure, spare parts availability, and a shortage of trained pilots as major hurdles. C.M. Ananda of the National Aerospace Laboratories called pilot availability "fundamental" and stressed better aircraft design to ease maintenance and training tailored to India’s needs. Looking ahead, Kanika Tekriwal, head of FICCI’s Advanced Air Mobility Taskforce, highlighted electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) as the next big thing in business aviation. She said initial operations expected by 2026–27 have been delayed to around 2029, with widespread use by 2030–31 at costs like ride-hailing. Despite delays, she noted strong interest and called eVTOLs the "future of aviation." The government pledges strong support to back this fast-evolving sector and fix its infrastructure and skill gaps.