- Building a 10-Year Vision: Mark Brown on the Future of Aviation India
- Training, MRO, Sustainability—Aviation India 2025 brainstorms All Fronts
By Sangeeta Saxena
New Delhi. 30 October 2025. Civil aviation in India is witnessing unprecedented expansion, driven by rising domestic travel, airport modernisation, record aircraft orders, and strong policy support. India is now the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, with a future estimated to surpass half a billion passengers annually. The government’s focus on regional connectivity, airport development, MRO capability, training, and sustainability positions India as a future aviation superpower—and a vital hub for the Indo-Pacific.
Aviation India 2025, now in its second edition, has rapidly become one of South Asia’s most influential aviation forums. The event brings together airlines, MROs, OEMs, regulators, training academies, financiers, leasing companies and technology providers under one platform. With themes spanning training, sustainability, MRO, business aviation, and regional growth, the 2025 edition established Aviation India as a must-attend strategic forum shaping the next decade of Indian and South Asian aviation.
Aviation India 2025 concluded with packed halls, high-energy discussions and a clear sense that India is now at the centre of global aviation growth. At the heart of this momentum is Times Aerospace Events, led by Mark Brown, whose vision is to build Aviation India into South Asia’s most compelling aviation gathering. In this candid conversation with ADU, Mark reflects on the second edition of the show, the exponential growth in participation, future plans, the need to incorporate military and regional aviation, and why India will remain the anchor of their 10-year roadmap.
ADU. Mark, Aviation India 2025 has just concluded. It felt sharper, richer and extremely well-curated. How did this edition become different, and what are the plans ahead?
Mark Brown. Sangeeta, this is just our second year. Any show organiser needs time to lay foundations, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We have a 10-year plan for India. This is only our second time, so we’re still digging those foundations, laying the cement—and digging in the ground is always the most expensive part before you start building above it.
We know there is massive potential, and we want to be part of India’s aviation journey. While we’re still in a beautiful hotel venue and a ballroom, our ambitions are much bigger. Who knows? We may be here next year, but the numbers will certainly grow. If we had 800 registrations this time, I’d expect at least double next year. Whether this venue can handle that, we’ll see. But the interest is incredible, and the organic growth is real.
ADU. What new plans are you bringing in for future editions?
Mark Brown. We need to add dedicated content streams—training, human capital, MRO, business aviation, sustainability. These require parallel conversations in separate rooms, all under the Aviation India umbrella. Training alone is a major topic. India can’t grow unless pilots, ATC, cabin crew, MRO, engineers—everyone—is scaling together. Next year, while the main stage handles strategy, a second track may be fully dedicated to training. Maybe another on MRO. Maybe one on business aviation. Because India needs all of it. We want Aviation India to reflect the real needs of the ecosystem.
ADU. Do you see space for military aviation representation? India has army aviation, naval aviation, air force aviation, paramilitary aviation and coast guard. Could they be part of the show?
Mark Brown. I think so. We’re not a defence show and not an air show. But military aviation—especially MRO—is very much part of the aviation conversation. In Africa, at Aviation Africa, we invite air chiefs every year. They find it extremely useful to be in the same room as DGs and civil leaders.
Also, Aviation India is not just for India but for South Asia. We want participation from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, even Pakistan—whoever gets permission to attend. Ideally, this should be their event too. And in the future, who knows? We may even host a breakaway edition in another South Asian country and return here. So yes, military aviation is part of our vision.
ADU. The moderation, the panellists, the content—it all seemed very world-class this time. Do you feel the conference has reached its peak?
Mark Brown. We’ve raised the bar, absolutely. And there’s always room for improvement, but honestly, I don’t know how we improve the conference content from here. Mark, Chloe, the team, and the advisory group—Skyplan’s Sunam, Bharat from the MRO Association—they’ve helped bring extraordinary speakers. Some panels were the best I’ve ever seen anywhere. We will rotate speakers, of course, but no one can say we missed any major voice this year. That is a big milestone.
As we wrap up Aviation INDIA and South Asia Summit & Exhibition 2025, the last two days have been very enriching in the topics debated and strategy for way forward created. I extend my deepest gratitude to our sponsors who are made this event possible. We are overwhelmed with the participation and happy in the interest the event has generated in the ecosystem of aviation in India.
ADU. Anything you would like to add?
Mark Brown. Aviation India 2025 marks a turning point—not just for the event, but for India’s aviation ecosystem. Times Aerospace Events is a global organiser known for creating high-impact aviation and aerospace conferences across emerging markets. With a legacy built on Aviation Africa and other prominent platforms, the company brings together industry leaders, regulators, airlines, OEMs and innovators to drive meaningful dialogue and industry transformation. Team together has achoeved this success.
With a clear 10-year plan, Times Aerospace Events is shaping the forum into a multi-track, region-wide platform that reflects everything modern aviation requires: training, MRO, sustainability, business aviation, and eventually military participation. As India fuels the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, Mark Brown affirms that Aviation India is here not just to keep pace, but to become an essential pillar of that growth story.
As told to Sangeeta Saxena
