NEW DELHI: Blending bold visions of space-age travel with grounded economic optimism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday delivered a sweeping address at the Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Delhi, pitching India as a rising force in global aviation, and beyond.“We now stand at a juncture where travel is no longer confined to cities on Earth,” PM Modi said. “Humans are dreaming of commercial space flights, of interplanetary journeys, and civil aviation is at the core of this transformation.”Speaking to top executives and global aviation leaders, the Prime Minister called the summit not just a gathering of industry minds but a launchpad for “shared climate commitments, global cooperation and equitable growth.”As commercial aviation inches toward space-age possibilities, PM Modi struck a futuristic tone: “There is still some time to go, but this shows how aviation will be a centre for innovation and transformation. India is ready for it.”He credited India’s readiness to three pillars: a vast and aspirational consumer market, a youth-driven talent pool adept in AI, robotics and clean energy, and a government policy ecosystem that is open, supportive and innovation-friendly.India’s civil aviation sector, already one of the fastest-growing in the world, has become central to the government’s larger ambitions of becoming a global tech and logistics hub. “What you are discussing at this Summit will chart a new direction for aviation,” Modi told the audience. “We must now tap the infinite possibilities of this sector and use them better.”While India may not be launching civilians to Mars tomorrow, PM Modi’s speech suggested that the country plans to play a lead role when that day comes.