The India International Financial Services Centres Authority, together with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, held the second India Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit, where the main policy message was the further build-out of GIFT IFSC as a domestic and international aircraft leasing and aviation finance centre. In that context, IFSCA said GIFT IFSC already hosts lessors and financing structures covering aircraft, engines, helicopters and other aviation assets, and highlighted recent enabling measures including the extension of the tax holiday framework, operationalisation of the single-window IT system, and the introduction of special purpose vehicle and trust structures. The summit closed with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between IFSCA and FICCI to support development of GIFT IFSC as an international financial centre and a global hub for aviation finance. Speakers at the event pointed to a projected Indian aircraft leasing market of nearly USD 100 billion and set out the next phase of ecosystem development through greater domestic institutional participation, stronger dispute resolution arrangements and broader financing channels. The Ministry of Civil Aviation cited the Udaan scheme, the Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Act, 2025, and implementation of the Cape Town Convention as reforms supporting legal certainty and financing access, while also indicating work to channel long-term capital from financial institutions, insurers, pension funds and infrastructure financing institutions into the sector. Annexed commercial announcements included AI Fleet Services targeting growth in aircraft leased through GIFT IFSC from 50 to more than 75 in FY27, representing USD 2.5 billion to USD 3 billion of additional aircraft, IndiGo expecting its roughly 75-aircraft GIFT IFSC fleet to double to around 150 by March 2027 with USD 3.5 billion to USD 4.0 billion of aircraft additions, Star Air launching a GIFT IFSC leasing entity in May 2026 and planning to lease six to eight more regional aircraft in FY2027, Akasa Air establishing Akasa Air Leasing IFSC Private Limited to support leasing of around 60 aircraft over five years, and Vistra announcing SPV set-up services for aircraft leasing under the amended IFSCA TechFin and Ancillary Services Regulations, 2025.

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