India world's 3rd largest domestic aviation market; increase in flights benefitted small cities: President Murmu

India is the world's third largest domestic aviation market and the increase in flight routes in the last 10 years has benefitted Tier 2 and 3 cities, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday. In her address to the joint sitting of Parliament, Murmu said the country has grown at an average rate of 8 per cent annually from 2021 to 2024.

She emphasised that in 10 years, India has risen to become the 5th largest economy from the 11th position.

"India is the world's third largest domestic aviation market," she said, adding that in April 2014, there were only 209 airline routes, which increased to 605 by April 2024.

"This increase in the aviation routes has directly benefitted Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities," she noted.

Air traffic demand is on the rise and airlines are expanding their fleet to fly more people, while the number of airports are also increasing.

During the January-May 2024 period, domestic airlines carried 661.42 lakh passengers, as against 636.07 lakh during the year-ago period, according to the latest official data.

Murmu, in her address, also said the government is working to make India's public transport system one of the best in the world.