JAMMU, May 13: In a defining act of national intent, FICCI FLO — the women’s wing of India’s apex business chamber, FICCI — signed three landmark Memoranda of Understanding with Garuda Aerospace, NEOSKY India and YRG — formally launching a country’s most ambitious women led drone skilling programme writing a new chapter in India’s story of women-led transformation.The MoU was signed by FICCI FLO’s national president Puja Garg on behalf of FICCI FLO along with partner organisations, Mrs. Rithika Agnishwar, Co-Founder, Garuda Aerospace, Mr. Sarath Chandra · CEO, NEOSKY India, Mr. AK SriKrishnan COO, YRG.“India’s drone revolution is no longer a distant ambition — it is policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Drone Didi initiative has established a bold national vision: that the women of Bharat will not merely witness the rise of drone technology, they will lead it. The Skill India Mission and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao provide the moral and policy architecture for exactly this kind of intervention.” Said Ms Puja Garg, National President, FICCI FLO>
“FICCI FLO’s programme answers that call with institutional credibility and operational scale. By committing to 1,000 DGCA-certified women drone pilots by March 2027, deployed across 22 chapters in every region of India, this initiative transforms a government vision into ground-level reality — one woman pilot, one certified skill, one transformed livelihood at a time” said Ms Garg.“Garuda Aerospace is a flagship name in India’s DGCA-approved drone manufacturing and training ecosystem. Garuda brings technical depth, certified infrastructure, and a proven track record of producing skilled drone operators at scale across the country.” Said Mrs. Rithika Agnishwar, Co-Founder, Garuda Aerospace.“A pioneering force in drone skilling and ecosystem development, NEOSKY’s DGCA-approved training architecture and pan-India reach ensure that the programme is delivered with consistency, quality, and strategic reach.” Said NEOSKY India · Mr. Sarath Chandra, CEO“YRG joins as the CSR-compliant NGO partner, anchoring last-mile beneficiary outreach, documentation, and regulatory compliance — ensuring that every woman reached is a woman who truly needs this opportunity.” Said YRG (NGO Partner) · Mr. AK SriKrishnan, COO India’s drone sector is on a trajectory to become a ₹30,000 crore industry by 2030 — spanning agriculture, logistics, surveillance, infrastructure inspection, and disaster management. FICCI FLO’s programme is not simply a skilling drive. It is a long-term national investment in building a pipeline of women-led drone professionals who will power this industry from within.
Through 22 FLO chapters, this initiative will reach women who have historically stood at the periphery of technology — and place them at its very centre. Every woman who earns her DGCA licence under this programme is not just gaining a skill. She is claiming her place in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat that Prime Minister Modi has envisioned for every daughter of this nation.“FICCI FLO does not merely celebrate women — we equip them. This programme is our commitment to Prime Minister Modi’s vision: that the sky is not a limit for India’s women, it is their starting point. We will put 1,000 women in the skies of Bharat — certified, skilled, and unstoppable.” Added Ms Garg ,Mrs. Dekyi Yangtso Chawla · Head — AI & Digital Skilling, FICCI FLO National “Drone technology is the frontier of India’s economic future. Through this consortium, we are ensuring that women are not left out of that future — they are leading it. This is not a skilling programme. This is a statement of who India’s tomorrow belongs to.”