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Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, held a series of high-level engagements, strategic meetings and multilateral interactions at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, reaffirming India's growing leadership in aviation, infrastructure, sustainability, innovation and global economic cooperation.
According to a press release, at WEF 2026, the Minister participated in the session on "Scaling up Autonomous Mobility", where he outlined India's structured approach of "Enable, Deploy and Scale." Highlighting progressive policy frameworks such as the Drone Rules 2021, real-world applications, including medical deliveries in remote regions, and India's preparedness for eVTOLs and autonomous aviation, he underscored how regulation, digital infrastructure, and manufacturing strength are being leveraged to address congestion, access, and logistics challenges at scale. The Minister held a strategic discussion with Francisco Gomes Neto, CEO of Embraer, at the Congress Centre in Davos, focusing on strengthening Embraer's presence in the Indian aviation ecosystem through strategic partnerships with Indian industry stakeholders. On the sidelines of the Forum, Ram Mohan Naidu conducted a series of productive bilateral meetings with Pragati Group, SkildAI, and IndianOil Corporation Ltd, exploring opportunities for collaboration across aviation, infrastructure and energy sectors, as per the release. He noted that the WEF platform provides a vital opportunity to engage with global stakeholders and strengthen partnerships to unlock new growth avenues for India amid global economic uncertainty. In a significant diplomatic engagement, the Minister held discussions with Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Transport Commissioner, focusing on sustainability, innovation and EU-India cooperation in the transport ecosystem, including coordination between EASA and DGCA to further enhance aviation safety standards. As per the release, Ram Mohan Naidu was honoured to be welcomed at the Maharashtra Pavilion by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, acknowledging Maharashtra's governance reforms, investor-friendly policies and future-ready development vision that position the state as a key driver of India's growth. At the Country Strategy Dialogue session, the Minister spoke as a panellist alongside Ashwini Vaishnaw and Pralhad Joshi, highlighting India's emergence as a global innovation and investment destination under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that with Indian airlines set to induct nearly 100 aircraft annually over the next 15 years and a vision of 350+ airports by 2047, India is rapidly emerging as a global hub for aircraft component manufacturing, MRO and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The Minister also met Brge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, as well as senior Union Ministers, to discuss India's extraordinary growth journey and its expanding global impact. He highlighted India's transition from an "emerging economy" to a pivotal global force, inspiring confidence, attracting collaboration, and shaping the future global order, the release said. Further strengthening global cooperation, Ram Mohan Naidu engaged with Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), to discuss the role of advanced weather intelligence and climate data in enhancing aviation safety, resilience, and sustainable operations. In a meeting with Pablo Ciano, CEO, DHL eCommerce, discussions focused on DHL's expansion plans in India, India's vision to scale air cargo and logistics infrastructure, and enabling faster and more efficient global trade connectivity. The Minister also delivered an address at the CII & KPMG session on "Shift from Emerging to Pivot", reflecting on India's rise as a pillar of global growth driven by decisive reforms, scale, dialogue and innovation. He emphasised that from trade and technology to talent and aviation, India today stands as a trusted global partner shaping the new geo-economic order. At the Airport of Tomorrow session, Ram Mohan Naidu shared India's perspective on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), highlighting the need for coordinated action between governments and industry to scale production, balance costs and accelerate decarbonisation, reinforcing India's commitment to building a sustainable future for global aviation. Through these engagements at WEF 2026, Minister Ram Mohan Naidu reaffirmed India's growing global leadership in aviation, infrastructure, sustainability, innovation and economic cooperation, positioning India as a key driver of future global growth and collaboration. (ANI)
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