List of Civil Aviation Ministers of India
List of all Civil Aviation Ministers of India from 1947 to 2026, with their party, dates, and total time in office.
First Minister
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
Assumed office 15 Aug 1947
Current Incumbent
K. Ram Mohan Naidu
Serving Union Minister
Unique Ministers
23 Ministers
Post-independence 1947–2026
Longest Tenure
Praful Patel (6 yrs, 241 days)
Historic milestone service
| # | Minister | Party | From | To | Duration | Constituency | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |
RK
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
|
Indian National Congress | 15 Aug 1947 | 2 Aug 1951 | 3 yrs, 352 days | United Provinces | Constituent Assembly |
| #2 |
RB
Raj Bahadur
|
Indian National Congress | 14 Feb 1956 | 10 Apr 1962 | 6 yrs, 55 days | Bharatpur | Lok Sabha |
| #3 |
KS
Karan Singh
|
Indian National Congress | 16 Mar 1967 | 9 Nov 1973 | 6 yrs, 238 days | Udhampur | Lok Sabha |
| #4 |
RB
Raj Bahadur 2nd Term
|
Indian National Congress | 9 Nov 1973 | 22 Dec 1976 | 3 yrs, 43 days | Bharatpur | Lok Sabha |
| #5 |
PK
Purushottam Kaushik
|
Janata Party | 26 Mar 1977 | 15 Jul 1979 | 2 yrs, 111 days | Raipur | Lok Sabha |
| #6 |
AS
A. P. Sharma
|
Indian National Congress | 19 Oct 1980 | 2 Sep 1982 | 1 yr, 318 days | Buxar | Lok Sabha |
| #7 |
JT
Jagdish Tytler
|
Indian National Congress | 22 Oct 1986 | 14 Feb 1988 | 1 yr, 115 days | Delhi Sadar | Lok Sabha |
| #8 |
MV
Motilal Vora
|
Indian National Congress | 14 Feb 1988 | 25 Jun 1988 | 132 days | Madhya Pradesh | Rajya Sabha |
| #9 |
MS
Madhavrao Scindia
|
Indian National Congress | 21 Jun 1991 | 9 Jan 1993 | 1 yr, 202 days | Gwalior | Lok Sabha |
| #10 |
GA
Ghulam Nabi Azad
|
Indian National Congress | 9 Jan 1993 | 16 May 1996 | 3 yrs, 128 days | Maharashtra | Rajya Sabha |
| #11 |
CI
C. M. Ibrahim
|
Janata Dal | 1 Jun 1996 | 19 Mar 1998 | 1 yr, 291 days | Karnataka | Rajya Sabha |
| #12 |
AK
Ananth Kumar
|
Bharatiya Janata Party | 19 Mar 1998 | 13 Oct 1999 | 1 yr, 208 days | Bangalore South | Lok Sabha |
| #13 |
SY
Sharad Yadav
|
Janata Dal (United) | 13 Oct 1999 | 1 Sep 2001 | 1 yr, 323 days | Madhepura | Lok Sabha |
| #14 |
SH
Syed Shahnawaz Hussain
|
Bharatiya Janata Party | 1 Sep 2001 | 24 May 2003 | 1 yr, 265 days | Kishanganj | Lok Sabha |
| #15 |
RR
Rajiv Pratap Rudy
|
Bharatiya Janata Party | 24 May 2003 | 22 May 2004 | 364 days | Saran | Lok Sabha |
| #16 |
PP
Praful Patel
|
Nationalist Congress Party | 23 May 2004 | 19 Jan 2011 | 6 yrs, 241 days | Bhandara-Gondiya | Lok Sabha |
| #17 |
VR
Vayalar Ravi
|
Indian National Congress | 19 Jan 2011 | 18 Dec 2011 | 333 days | Kerala | Rajya Sabha |
| #18 |
AS
Ajit Singh
|
Rashtriya Lok Dal | 18 Dec 2011 | 26 May 2014 | 2 yrs, 159 days | Baghpat | Lok Sabha |
| #19 |
AR
P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju
|
Telugu Desam Party | 26 May 2014 | 8 Mar 2018 | 3 yrs, 286 days | Vizianagaram | Lok Sabha |
| #20 |
SP
Suresh Prabhu
|
Bharatiya Janata Party | 10 Mar 2018 | 30 May 2019 | 1 yr, 81 days | Andhra Pradesh | Rajya Sabha |
| #21 |
HP
Hardeep Singh Puri
|
Bharatiya Janata Party | 31 May 2019 | 7 Jul 2021 | 2 yrs, 37 days | Uttar Pradesh | Rajya Sabha |
| #22 |
JS
Jyotiraditya Scindia
|
Bharatiya Janata Party | 7 Jul 2021 | 9 Jun 2024 | 2 yrs, 338 days | Madhya Pradesh | Rajya Sabha |
| #23 |
RN
Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu Incumbent
|
Telugu Desam Party | 10 Jun 2024 | Present | Serving | Srikakulam | Lok Sabha |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current Civil Aviation Minister of India?
Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) took oath on 9 June 2024 and assumed office as the Union Minister of Civil Aviation on 10 June 2024 in the third Modi ministry.
Who was the longest-serving Civil Aviation Minister in modern India?
Praful Patel held the Civil Aviation portfolio as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for nearly 7 years, from 23 May 2004 to 19 January 2011.
Which minister introduced the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme?
Ashok Gajapathi Raju (TDP) served as the Union Minister of Civil Aviation (2014–2018) when the regional connectivity scheme UDAN was launched to make air travel affordable.