For the first time in a major push to aero-sports in the country,  Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday launched a” National Air Sport Policy  (NASP) 2022”, which established a four-tier governance structure to promote 11 disciplines, including ballooning, paragliding and aerobatics.

 As per the policy, schools, colleges and universities will be encouraged to have air sports included in their curriculum. Multiple locations for air sports will be established across the country,” the Minister said.

Speaking on the future of Air Sports in India, he said “From a small market size of around 5,000 odd air sports practitioners creating around Rs 80-100 crore of annual revenue in India, I feel we can target over Rs 8,000 – 10,000 crore annual revenue and generate over 1,00,000 direct jobs.

 The economic multiplier benefits in terms of travel, tourism, support services and local infrastructure development will be over three times.”

 “We are also thinking of creating a segregated airspace for air sports in certain corridors much like what we have done with drones. That will help in proliferating these sports,” Scindia said.

“The Centre is also contemplating an incentive scheme to promote manufacturing of air sports equipment in India,” he revealed. "It is time to emerge as a global capital for air sports leveraging the energy of our youth.

The policy has been made with a vision of making India one of the top air sports nations by 2030," he mentioned. As per the policy, Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) will be the nodal body for air sports in India, and 13 air sports associations will be formed for 13 sports each.

The NASP, in its present form, will cover air sports such as aerobatics, aeromodelling, model rocketry, amateur-built and experimental aircraft, ballooning, drones, gliding and powered gliding, hang-gliding and powered hang-gliding, parachuting (including skydiving, BASE jumping and wingsuit flying), paragliding and paramotoring (including powered parachute trikes), powered aircraft and rotorcraft.

The list of 11 sports may be extended, the Minister said. National associations for individual air sports will be in the second tier, regional units and State affiliates will be in the third tier, and district-level associations will be in the fourth tier.

"We must make sure that safety is maintained. There is a very high level of risk with air sports as well and therefore, on the first hand, we must ensure that there is complete coordination with the air traffic controller (ATC)."

Every national air sports association will rely on airspace data published by the aeronautical information publication as well as notice to airmen (NOTAM). Mr. Scindia said the Centre has put in place penalties, fines and levies for those who disregard safety requirements.