INDIA'S NATIONAL AIR-SPORTS POLICY

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation released a NATIONAL AIR-SPORTS POLICY (NASP) on 7th June, 2022 with a key objective to promote an air-sports culture in the country. Air-sports encompass various sports activities involving air-medium like air-racing, paragliding, skydiving etc. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland is the global governing body for air-sports.

NASP’s vision enlists making India as one of the top air-sports nations by 2030 with a mission to provide a safe, affordable, accessible, enjoyable and sustainable air-sports ecosystem in India. Creation of air-sports hubs across the country will indubitably increase the revenue from air-sports activities along with the growth of travel, tourism, infrastructure and local employment in hilly areas.

The air-sports included in NASP are Aerobatics, Aeromodelling and Model Rocketry, Amateur-built and Experimental Aircraft, Ballooning, Drones, Gliding and Powered-Gliding, Hang-Gliding and Powered Hang-Gliding, Parachuting, Paragliding and Paramotoring, Powered-Aircraft and Rotorcraft. To avoid the high-level of risk, each air-sports association will maintain safety as per global best practices. Disciplinary actions will be taken in case of deviations and wilful non-compliance. Air-Sports Federation of India, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, will be the apex governing body and will represent India in air-sports, globally.

To increase the popularity of air-sports in India, the Government may consider a Production-Linked Incentive Scheme for domestic manufacturing of air-sports equipment under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ and educational institutions will be encouraged to include air-sports in their curriculum to raise the youth’s interest in air-sports.

Written by

 Ojaitra Arora

LinkedIn