Civil aviation fleet in India has risen 75 per cent since 2013-14 to about 700 and is likely to rise towards 1500-2000 in the next half a decade, said Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia a day after Indigo announced the 500 aircraft mega deal with Airbus. “Capability of the Indian civil aviation sector is immense,” Scindia said. Further, speaking about a number of operational airports, heliports, and aerodromes, he said they doubled under this current government — 74 in 2014 to 148 in 2023 – and are projected to go up to 220 in the next 4-5 years. “India should become a civil aviation hub,” he said, adding the government is working on it. India’s aviation industry has experienced significant growth in the past nine years under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.