IndiGo crosses 1,000 women pilots, sets new milestone for gender diversity in Indian aviation

New Delhi, March 13. India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has announced that its workforce now includes more than 1,000 women pilots, making it the first and only airline in the country to achieve the milestone. Women currently account for 17.5 percent of the airline’s total pilot strength – over three times the global average – highlighting its growing role in promoting gender diversity in aviation.

The airline said the achievement reflects its broader effort to create an inclusive workplace that mirrors the changing aspirations of women entering the aviation sector in India.

Women today constitute more than 45 percent of IndiGo’s overall workforce. Their presence spans several key operational areas: over 30 percent of airport operations staff are women, nearly 25 percent work in the airline’s Operations Control Centre, and more than 20 percent are in finance roles. In addition, women make up more than 15 percent of the digital workforce and hold over 23 percent of leadership positions within the organisation.

Sukhjit Singh Pasricha, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at IndiGo, said the milestone demonstrates the company’s commitment to empowering women in aviation. Announcing the development on International Women’s Day, he said the airline was proud to have one of the highest numbers of women pilots globally and would continue creating opportunities for talented women to contribute to the industry’s future.

To mark the occasion, IndiGo also released a short film on its social media platforms celebrating ‘Girl Power’. The video features women employees from across the airline reflecting on moments that inspired their journeys in aviation.

The airline’s diversity initiatives operate under the EMBRACE framework – an acronym for Equity, Multiculturalism, Belonging, Respect, Accessibility, Community and Empowerment – which aims to promote inclusive hiring and career development. Programmes such as Take-Off 2.0 help women return to the workforce after career breaks, while the 6E Girl Power Community provides peer support and mentorship across the organisation.

Through these initiatives, IndiGo said it aims to strengthen gender equality in aviation and enable more women to take on technical, operational and leadership roles in the years ahead.