India to become third largest aviation market by 2020

Indias Civil Aviation Secretary KN Shrivastava Sunday said India would become third largest aviation market of the world by 2020. The top official said that India is expected to take third spot in aviation market after the US and China. "India is among the fastest growing and currently the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world," Shrivastava told media at a function held in southern state of Karnataka. He said that Indian aviation market currently has 117 million domestic and 43 million international passengers. Earlier, Indian Prime Minister had announced that it would develop 100 new airports across the country for its air passengers who are expected to grow 300 million by 2020. He also noted that in the past 10 years, the passengers travelling by air have grown to extremely big numbers in the country. The Indian premier had said air connectivity would ensure the countrys development, adding, the lack of air connectivity may prove to be a hindrance in that direction.