From Our Correspondent
Amaravati: In a major push to strengthen India’s fast-growing civil aviation and aerospace ecosystem, the Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday announced the launch of the country’s first integrated Aviation, Aerospace and Defence (AAD) EduCity near the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport. The GMR–MANSAS Aviation EduCity, spread across 136 acres, is envisioned as a national capability platform to tackle the acute global shortage of aviation professionals and position India as a leading supplier of aviation talent.
Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, who presided over the signing of an MoU between GMR Group and the MANSAS Trust in Visakhapatnam, said the initiative directly addresses the biggest constraint facing the aviation sector: human capital. “India’s aviation story is one of scale and speed, but the real bottleneck is skilled manpower. The GMR–MANSAS Aviation EduCity is our response—creating a world-class ecosystem that integrates education, research, industry, and on-the-job training,” he said.
Addressing a Critical Talent Gap
India’s aviation sector is among the fastest-growing globally, with passenger traffic projected to touch 700 million annually across 200 airports. The commercial fleet is set to nearly double to 1,700 aircraft by 2030, while the aerospace and defence market is expected to expand from $28.7 billion in 2024 to $57 billion by 2034.
Yet, the industry faces shortages of 12–15% in pilots, AMEs, ATCs, safety specialists and airport operations professionals. India produces only 8,000 aerospace engineers a year—less than 0.5% of total engineering graduates—highlighting a widening skills deficit.
Against this backdrop, officials said the Bhogapuram EduCity is designed not as a training centre, but as a national solution for long-term aviation capacity building.
A First-of-Its-Kind Integrated Model
The EduCity will operate as a fully integrated education–innovation–industry cluster, bringing together:
• International branch campuses and top global universities
• Licensing and certification aligned with DGCA, EASA and global norms
• Advanced research centres in aerospace design, AI-enabled aviation systems, UAVs, sustainability and safety
• Incubation and prototyping facilities for aviation startups
• Residential and social infrastructure enabling a self-sustaining ecosystem
The model aligns with national policy frameworks including NCAP, NEP 2020, and Make in India, as well as India’s wider defence and aerospace ambitions.
Why Bhogapuram?
Proximity to the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport provides unmatched access to real-time training environments, live aircraft systems and industry operations. Officials said this mirrors globally successful clusters such as Dubai International Academic City, Research Triangle Park (USA) and Aerospace Valley (France), where co-location of universities, OEMs and labs accelerates innovation and economic growth.
Vision: A Global Aviation Workforce
Outlining the state’s long-term vision, Minister Lokesh said the objective is to ensure at least 25% of the global civil aviation workforce is Telugu. “This is not about building another university—it is about creating an ecosystem that produces job-ready professionals, breakthrough research and globally benchmarked skills,” he said.
The EduCity will offer a complete talent pipeline—from AME, ATC and airport operations programmes to advanced specialisations in aerospace engineering, sustainable aviation fuels, AI and cybersecurity, UAV systems and advanced air mobility.
Industry-Led, Research-Driven
The project draws inspiration from major international aerospace clusters including Aéro Montréal, Seattle’s Aviation Cluster, and Aerospace Valley, where integrated ecosystems translate talent and R&D into global competitiveness. Officials said the EduCity will combine plug-and-play academic infrastructure with build-to-suit campuses to attract foreign universities and industry partners quickly.
Public Purpose and Philanthropic Foundation
The MANSAS Trust has provided the land for the EduCity, with Minister Lokesh acknowledging the contributions of Goa Governor and MANSAS Trust Chairman P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Vizianagaram MLA Aditi Gajapathi Raju. He described it as “a contribution that will shape India’s aviation future for decades.”
Timeline and Outlook
The state has committed to establishing core infrastructure within 12 months, with phased entry of global partners thereafter. “With aviation demand exploding worldwide, countries that invest early in talent ecosystems will lead the next phase of growth. Andhra Pradesh is positioning India not just as a large aviation market, but as a global supplier of aviation talent and innovation,” Lokesh said.
The launch event was attended by Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyannapatrudu, GMR Airports Chairman G.B.S. Raju, senior officials and industry leaders.