Impact of Private Aviation on India’s Emissions

• Private aviation significantly contributes to India’s emissions, with 47% of flights involving international travel and 19% for shorter distances.

• Private jets are five to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial flights and 50 times more than trains.

• A Nature study reported a 46% increase in emissions between 2019 and 2023 due to private aviation.

• As of March 2024, India had 112 private planes registered, ranking among the top 20 countries in private aircraft ownership.

• Despite efforts to decarbonize, solutions like sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen, and electrification have been challenging to implement.

• The use of private aircraft for leisure destinations like Ibiza and Nice peaked in June-August, especially over weekends.

• An estimated 8,500 jets will be delivered to private parties in the next 10 years.

• The Indian government has launched policies to enhance rural connectivity and increase airport capacity, but these have not been commercialized due to limited availability and efficiency.