Pilot union slams India’s push for global hiring code, warns of ‘bonded labour’ risk

Domestic aviation is led by IndiGo and Air India, while major international carriers like Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa operate regular flights into the country.

A leading pilots’ body has hit back at the Indian government’s call for a global 'code of conduct' to regulate how countries hire each other’s airline staff. The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) says, as cited by Reuters, that such a move would go against international employment norms and could create conditions akin to 'bonded labour' in the aviation industry.

The response comes after Reuters revealed last week that India had raised the proposal with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations’ aviation body, amid concerns that the poaching of Indian pilots and cabin crew was slowing down the growth of its fast-expanding aviation market.

India’s proposal to ICAO

In a working paper submitted to ICAO on August 1, the Civil Aviation Ministry warned that foreign airlines were repeatedly hiring skilled staff from Indian carriers without 'adequate notice', hurting India’s ability to grow its aviation sector in an “orderly manner”.

“Airlines from other countries tend to recruit experienced pilots, engineers, technicians and cabin crew from Indian carriers, preventing India’s civil aviation sector from achieving planned growth,” the paper stated.

The ministry argued that this creates a 'vicious cycle' where Indian carriers must constantly spend resources recruiting and training replacements instead of focusing on expansion and operational upgrades.

Shortage fears and Modi’s aviation ambitions

India, one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, is already battling a shortage of experienced pilots, a problem that could derail Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of making the country a global aviation hub. The government estimates India will need around 30,000 pilots over the next 15–20 years, up from the current 6,000–7,000, as airlines collectively have over 1,700 aircraft on order.

Domestic aviation is led by IndiGo and Air India, while major international carriers like Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa operate regular flights into the country.

Pilot union fights back

In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday, ALPA India president Sam Thomas said the government’s working paper “misdiagnoses” the real reasons aviation talent is leaving.

The union, which represents about 1,100 pilots, says factors like poor working conditions, lack of job security, limited career growth opportunities and non-standardised pay structures are driving the outflow, not just foreign recruitment.

“Targeting outbound employment from India sets a dangerous precedent and is inconsistent with ICAO’s principles of consensus, collaboration and workforce mobility,” Thomas said in the letter, which was also posted on the union’s X account.

Demands for reforms instead

ALPA India has urged the ministry to withdraw the proposal from ICAO and instead call for an urgent consultation with pilot bodies and other stakeholders. The focus, they say, should be on reforming domestic working conditions, standardising pay, and improving career growth pathways.

India already mandates a six-month notice period for pilots and requires a no-objection certificate from their current airline before they can join another carrier. These rules are being challenged in court by pilot associations.

Bigger picture

The debate comes amid heightened scrutiny of India’s aviation sector following the recent fatal crash of an Air India jetliner. Any additional constraints on pilot mobility could spark further tensions between the government, airlines, and employee unions, and may influence how global bodies like ICAO handle workforce movement standards in the future.