India has maximum women pilots in the world: Jayant Sinha

INDIA, DELHI - MARCH 07: Indian female pilots of Air India, the country's state owned carrier, are seen during a celebration ceremony on the eve of international women's day, in New Delhi, India on March 7, 2017. Air India states that it has set a world record by flying around the world with an all-female crew. Press Trust of India reported that the flight flew over the Pacific Ocean from New Delhi to San Francisco on Monday, and then flew back to New Delhi over the Atlantic on Friday. (Photo by Imtiyaz Khan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

India has the maximum number of women pilots in the world, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said here today.

"India is the country with maximum number of women pilots in the world, be it in Air India or Indian Air Force. This is a testimony of the contribution made by women to the aviation sector and also by the country to their careers," Sinha said.

The minister was addressing the gathering at golden jubilee celebrations of the India Women Pilots Association (IWPA) here.

"While the presence of women has contributed to the progress of the aviation sector, their support is still needed to strengthen the area," he said.

Sinha also suggested that the traffic problem in the country can be addressed if the sky area is "utilised".

"The traffic problem can be dealt with if we decide to go vertical and utilise the sky area. It happens in many countries," he said.

The event was also attended by Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa who also lauded the contribution of women to the aviation sector.