Hyderabad, 29th January 2026: In a major step towards strengthening India’s global aviation leadership, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed a landmark agreement with the Airports Council International (ACI) to implement the prestigious Airports Management Professional Accreditation Program (AMPAP) in India.
Delhi : This strategic collaboration marks a defining moment in India’s nation-building journey and reinforces the country’s commitment to world-class aviation governance, leadership, and competence building.
Globally, over 1,400 aviation professionals across 120 countries have earned the coveted International Aviation Professional (IAP) designation. With 173 IAPs already from India, the country is steadily emerging as a key contributor to global aviation leadership. The AAI–ACI partnership will significantly accelerate this momentum.
Under the agreement, AAI will facilitate AMPAP training for more than 115 additional aviation professionals over the next five years, creating a strong pipeline of globally deployable, future-ready aviation leaders. On successful completion of the programme, participants will earn the internationally recognised IAP salutation, a mark of excellence in airport leadership and management.
The initiative will empower professionals with advanced competencies in airport economics, sustainability, safety, resilience, innovation, and strategic leadership—capabilities that are critical as India’s aviation sector undergoes unprecedented expansion.
The agreement was formally exchanged between Shri Vipin Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, and Mr. Gurjit Gill, Director – Global, Airports Council International & ICAO, in the august presence of Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and other senior dignitaries during Wings India 2026 at skyline theatre, Begumpet Airport on 29thJanuary 2026. The initiative has been enabled under the visionary and reform-oriented leadership of Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, whose focus on institutional competence building and global benchmarking continues to transform India’s aviation ecosystem.
On this occasion, AAI reaffirmed its commitment to developing human capital as a core pillar of aviation growth, noting that globally aligned leadership is essential to sustaining India’s rapid airport infrastructure expansion and operational excellence.
This collaboration positions India not only as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, but also as a trusted global hub for aviation knowledge, leadership, and best practices—contributing meaningfully to the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and reinforcing India’s role in shaping the future of global aviation.