Coimbatore-based Sakthi Aircraft Industry Pvt Ltd (SAIPL) is set to begin manufacturing India’s first privately led trainer aircraft from January 2026 at its upcoming facility in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, with deliveries expected by February–March 2026, according to D Vaibhav, Managing Director and CEO of SAIPL.
The development marks a major shift for India’s aviation training ecosystem, which has so far relied heavily on imported trainer aircraft. SAIPL is part of the Sakthi Group and is investing ₹750 crore in the project, covering the Tiruppur manufacturing plant and a smaller facility in Uttar Pradesh for production tooling, maintenance infrastructure and licensing-related activities.
Austria-based Diamond Aircraft is supporting the initiative through technology transfer and licensing arrangements. Diamond Aircraft, the world’s third-largest general aviation aircraft manufacturer with over 5,500 aircraft in service globally, already supplies its DA40 NG trainer aircraft to around 10 flying training organisations (FTOs) in India.
SAIPL signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu government at the TN Rising–Coimbatore Summit in November to establish the Tiruppur facility. The plant, located within the Sakthi Group’s 120-acre industrial campus—home to Sakthi Auto Component Ltd—will leverage existing infrastructure to support aircraft manufacturing.
“We aim to strengthen India’s aviation training ecosystem and reduce dependence on imported trainer aircraft. While the National Aerospace Laboratories’ Hansa trainer is being developed through a public-led initiative, this will be the first trainer aircraft project fully driven by the private sector,” Vaibhav said.
India, currently the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, is projected to become the third-largest air passenger market overall. Passenger traffic is expected to touch around 468 million by 2030, driving fleet expansion from about 650 aircraft today to nearly 2,500 by the end of the decade. To support this growth, the country will require an additional 10,000–15,000 commercial pilots by 2030, over and above the existing base of 10,000–12,000 pilots.
However, India has only 35 DGCA-approved FTOs and a limited number of trainer aircraft, creating significant capacity constraints and forcing many aspiring pilots to seek costly training overseas. Recent government measures—such as liberalised FTO norms, reduced airport charges and incentives for training institutions—have further highlighted the need for modern, locally manufactured trainer aircraft.
SAIPL plans to deliver 40 aircraft in 2026. The Tiruppur plant has been designed for an annual capacity of 100 aircraft, which the company expects to achieve by 2027. “We are in active discussions with multiple FTOs and private customers,” Vaibhav said.
In parallel, SAIPL is in talks with the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) to establish CAR 21 (final assembly and aircraft testing) and CAR 145 (maintenance) facilities at its campus. About 80 per cent of manufacturing will be carried out in Tiruppur, with the remaining 20 per cent undertaken at IGRUA.
The company will also set up a dedicated maintenance facility for Diamond aircraft at IGRUA and provide spare parts support. SAIPL will serve as the sole authorised maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider for Diamond Aircraft in India.
An official from a leading FTO noted that while demand for trainer aircraft is expected to surge in the coming years, meeting industry requirements at scale will be the key challenge as pilot training capacity expands rapidly.
