AP Launches India’s First Integrated Aviation, Aerospace & Defence EduCity at Bhogapuram GMR–MANSAS Aviation EduCity to Address Global Aviation Skill Shortage, Build India’s Next-Generation Aviation Workforce

In a major step aligned with India’s rapidly expanding civil aviation and aerospace ecosystem, Andhra Pradesh Government on Tuesday announced the launch of India’s first integrated Aviation, Aerospace and Defence (AAD) EduCity near the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport.

The GMR–MANSAS Aviation EduCity, spread over about 136 acres, is designed as a national capability platform to address the acute global and domestic shortage of aviation professionals and to position India as a leading supplier of aviation talent.

The land at Annavaram in Bheemili mandal has been donated by MANSAS Trust headed by Goa Governor P. Ashok Gajapati Raju.

India’s aviation sector is among the fastest-growing globally. Passenger traffic is projected to reach 700 million annually across 200 airports, while the country’s commercial aircraft fleet is expected to double to nearly 1,700 aircraft by 2030.

Parallelly, India’s aerospace and defence market is projected to grow from $28.7 billion in 2024 to $57 billion by 2034. However, this growth has exposed a widening skills deficit. Industry estimates point to shortages of 12–15% in qualified pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs), air traffic controllers, safety specialists and airport operations professionals.

Despite the scale of demand, India currently produces only about 8,000 aerospace engineers annually—less than 0.5% of total engineering graduates EduCity is conceptualised to offer a full talent pipeline—from AME, ATC and airport operations programmes to advanced specialisations in aerospace dynamics, sustainable aviation fuels, AI and cybersecurity in aviation, UAV systems and advanced air mobility.

The location near Bhogapuram International Airport provides a decisive edge. Airport adjacency allows real-time on-the-job training (OJT), live testing environments, and seamless industry immersion—mirroring globally successful models such as Dubai International Academic City, Research Triangle Park (USA) and Aerospace Valley (France)

Andhra Pradesh Government has committed to developing the core EduCity infrastructure within 12 months, with phased onboarding of global academic and industry partners thereafter.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said the novel institute aimed at meeting the requirement for skilled manpower in the aviation industry was first conceived by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He said the aviation industry in India is growing very fast after NDA formed the BJP-led government in 2014 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said there is annual growth of 12%.

The Minister said at present, India has 800 aircraft and orders for delivery of 1700 are pending. In 20 years there will be a requirement for 3,000 aircraft. .

Rammohan Naidu said the number of airports will increase by 200 in the next 20 to 25 years. To meet the demand for manpower in aviation and allied services there is a requirement for a lot of skilled manpower.

Earlier,

Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, who presided over the signing of a MoU ceremony, between GMR Group and the MANSAS Trust here, said the initiative responds directly to the most pressing constraint facing the aviation sector today: human capital.

“India’s aviation story is one of scale and speed, but the real bottleneck is skilled manpower. The GMR–MANSAS Aviation EduCity is our response to that challenge—creating a world-class ecosystem that integrates education, research, industry, and on-the-job training,” he said.

Lokesh said the State’s vision is to ensure that at least 25% of the global civil aviation workforce is Telugu, while contributing decisively to India’s talent requirements. “This is not about creating another university. It is about building an ecosystem that supplies job-ready professionals, cutting-edge research and globally benchmarked skills,” he said.

Lokesh acknowledged the contribution of Governor of Goa and MANSAS Trust Chairman P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Vizianagaram MLA Aditi Gajapathi Raju, who were present, calling it “a contribution that will shape India’s aviation future for decades.”AP Assembly Speaker Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao and GMR Airports Chairman GBS Raju, were present.