CAE signed a contract to become the managing partner of the Indian government’s flight training academy: Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA). CAE has also formalized and signed a joint venture agreement with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to develop the Rajiv Gandhi National Flying Training Institute (RGNFTI). Both IGRUA and RGNFTI will become members of the CAE Global Academy, a worldwide network of flight training organizations that offers pilot candidates an optimized program with standard operating procedures. Ashok Chawla, India’s secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said there is a requirement of up to 1,000 pilots per year in India over the next five years to meet the growing needs of the industry. He added with these new schools, significant steps were taken towards resolving the pilot shortage in India.