NEW DELHI, Aug 7: India is calling on countries worldwide to adopt a new code of conduct governing the hiring of airline personnel, following growing concerns that the poaching of Indian pilots and cabin crew is hampering the growth of its rapidly expanding aviation sector.

As one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally, India faces a shortage of experienced pilots, a challenge that threatens Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming the country into a major job-creating global aviation hub. The sector has come under increased scrutiny after a recent fatal crash involving an Air India aircraft during takeoff.

According to a working paper submitted by India on August 1 to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), foreign airlines have been repeatedly recruiting skilled pilots, engineers, technicians, and cabin crew from Indian carriers without sufficient notice. This practice, India claims, “adversely impacts” the country’s ability to develop its civil aviation sector in an organized manner.

“Airlines from other countries tend to recruit experienced aviation staff from Indian carriers, preventing India's civil aviation sector from achieving planned and orderly growth,” the paper states, without naming any specific foreign airlines.

India warns this trend has created a “vicious cycle,” forcing domestic carriers to continually recruit and train replacement personnel, diverting resources away from expansion and operational improvements.

The working paper, published on ICAO’s website ahead of its triennial assembly, has not been widely reported before. India’s Civil Aviation Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Highlighting the sector’s urgent need, the Indian government estimated in April that the country will require 30,000 pilots over the next 15 to 20 years — a steep increase from the current 6,000 to 7,000 — with over 1,700 aircraft on order.

India’s domestic aviation market is dominated by IndiGo and Air India, while leading international carriers such as Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa maintain regular flights to and from the country. The issue of pilot poaching has also caused tensions domestically, exemplified by a public dispute in 2023 between Air India and Akasa Air over pilot recruitment.

The paper urges ICAO member states to establish a code of conduct regulating the movement of skilled aviation workers. However, it does not specify the mechanisms by which such a code would be implemented.

“These challenges cause economic losses that undermine Indian carriers’ competitiveness in international markets and jeopardize the goal of carrying 300 million domestic passengers by 2030,” the paper adds.

ICAO, established in 1944 through an agreement among more than 50 allied countries, aims to set global standards on all aspects of civil aviation — from air navigation to safety regulations — based on consensus among its members.