National Air Sports Policy 2022 introduced; India set to become global air sport hub by 2030
India is all set to take a flight up in the sky with the introduction of the country’s first national air sports policy (NASP 2022), paving the path for a new era in ‘Aero Sports’ for India. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced the policy and stated that India has immense potential in the field of aerial sports, mainly because of the country’s vast geographical area, varied climate, growing youth population and government policies and interventions.
The target is set! By 2030 India will emerge as a global air sports hub, as stated by Union Civil Aviation Minister.
What is National Air Sports Policy?
To make India the leading country in the world of air sports and to tap on the untapped potential in the aerial games, National Air Sports Policy has been formulated. In the mandate, the government declares that it plans to promote the country’s air sports sector, by way of making it safe, affordable, accessible, enjoyable and sustainable. NASP 2022 is a step in this direction. It has been drafted on the basis of the inputs received from policymakers, air sports practitioners and the public at large.
Under the new policy, there will be a four-tier governance structure for air sports including:
- Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) is the apex governing body
- National associations for individual air sports or a set of air sports, as appropriate
- Regional (e.g. West/ South/ North East etc.) or State and Union Territory level units of the national air sports associations, as appropriate;
- District-level air sports associations, as appropriate.
NASP: Promoting Air Sports Culture in India
To make India one of the top air sports nations by 2030, various objectives are drafted to ensure to achieve the above-said target within the time limit. Some of the objectives include:
- Promoting an air sports culture in the country
- Enabling the adoption of international good practices and extending, air sports infrastructure, equipment, operations, maintenance and training alongside
- Developing a simple, stakeholder-friendly and effective governance structure
- Enhancing the participation and success of Indian sportspersons in global air sports events;
- Promoting the design, development and manufacturing of air sports equipment in India in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
What are India’s strengths in air sports?
“We need to look at new areas, not just those which have seen maturity and high growth but also those where new seeds can be sown. Air sports is one such area which has the ability to transform into a huge industry. The vast geographical expanse that can allow a wide diversity of air sports in the country with India’s vast youth population makes it an industry ripe for the picking, but it lacked until today an architecture to propel it forward,” the Civil Aviation Minister said at a press conference. He further stated that the air sports industry in the country was today worth ₹80-100 crore, with nearly 5,000 providers, which could grow 10 times in terms of revenue and yield 1 lakh direct jobs apart from a multiplier impact on the economy.
Points, some of India’s strengths for air sports are:
- Large Geographical Expanse
- Diverse Topography
- Fair Weather Conditions
- Supportive Government Policies and Interventions
What are the Sports under NASP?
The coverage of NASP 2022 will include the following air sports including Aerobatics, Aeromodelling and model rocketry, Amateur-built and experimental aircraft, Ballooning, Drones, Gliding and powered gliding, Hang gliding and powered hang gliding, Parachuting (including skydiving, BASE1 jumping and wingsuits etc.), Paragliding and paramotoring (including powered parachute trikes etc.), Powered aircraft (including ultralight, microlight and light sports aircraft etc.); and Rotorcraft (including autogyro).
Will there be any dedicated educational programs for Air Sports?
Glad you asked! In the mandate – NASP 2022, it is been mentioned that the programs aimed at raising the interest of the youth of India in air sports will be encouraged. Schools, colleges and universities will be encouraged to have air sports included in their curriculum. Students will be encouraged to participate in domestic and international competitions periodically for children in different age categories. Further support will be provided for boosting innovation, research and entrepreneurship in air sports via targeted programs.
