India's Major Airlines Employ Nearly 14,000 Pilots: Aviation Ministry Data Reveals Distribution Across Carriers

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation revealed in Parliament that six major domestic airlines in India currently employ a total of 13,989 pilots. Air India leads with 6,350 pilots, while its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express has 1,592 pilots on staff. IndiGo follows with 5,085 cockpit crew members.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha in a written response on Monday, Minister Murlidhar Mohol disclosed that newer carrier Akasa Air employs 466 pilots, while SpiceJet operates with 385 pilots. The state-owned Alliance Air maintains a smaller contingent of 111 pilots.

The minister explained that employment rates among qualified pilots are primarily dictated by market conditions. He further clarified that airlines recruit foreign pilots mainly due to specific type-rated pilot requirements arising from fleet expansions and time-sensitive operational needs.

Regarding training infrastructure, Mohol reported that Flying Training Organizations (FTOs) are consistently modernizing by adding new training aircraft. By November, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had facilitated the induction of 61 training aircraft into FTOs. The regulatory body also approved two new FTOs in 2025.

As of November 2025, India hosts 40 FTOs operating across 62 bases nationwide. The minister noted that the modernization of flying-training infrastructure depends on market factors and is based on commercial considerations of the FTOs, with the Civil Aviation Ministry currently not intervening in this process.

However, Mohol emphasized that as an ICAO member, the DGCA aligns its training and regulatory framework with ICAO's Standards and Recommended Practices. The regulator consistently assesses the quality and adequacy of flying training through a robust regulatory framework.

The minister confirmed that safety standards undergo continuous review during surveillance of these FTOs, following the DGCA's published Annual Surveillance Plan. Additionally, special safety audits and spot checks are conducted whenever necessary to maintain high standards of training and safety.