With the development of the advanced air mobility sector, India can have more than 1 lakh daily flights and over 1000 operational aircraft in 15 years, according to the urban air mobility maturity levels estimates made in a World Economic Forum (WEF) report.
The Concept of Operations (CONOPS) report, prepared in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, outlines key components crucial for the success of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in India, guiding local decision-makers on airspace management, infrastructure, and more.
“With the development of this concept of operations, we are laying the foundation for a future where air transport is not just faster and more efficient, but also accessible, sustainable and inclusive for all Indians,” Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Civil Aviation Minister says in the report.
Ranked third globally in domestic passenger traffic, the report claims that India is poised to adopt Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), an emerging sector focused on using highly automated, electric or hybrid-powered aircraft for transporting people and cargo. These vehicles, often referred to as air taxis or eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing), offer innovative solutions to reduce urban congestion, improve access to remote areas, and unlock new economic opportunities. In 2022, the global market size of AAM was estimated to be $8.93 billion and expected to reach $45.12 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 22.45%.
The report outlines a phased approach to AAM adoption, focusing on the development of integrated vertiport networks across urban and rural areas, with an emphasis on safety, accessibility, and transport needs.
The WEF report presents a three-stage plan for the growth of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in India over the next 15 years. The first stage focuses on a 5-year pre-operational setup, which includes creating a sandbox environment and conducting low-density commercial operations using existing helipads. This sandbox will be crucial for testing new technologies, procedures, and regulatory frameworks, ensuring safe integration with current air traffic management systems. In the intermediate stage, advanced, automated airspace management will be introduced. This will be followed by the mature stage where completely automated and autonomous, air and ground connectivity solutions would be in place.
The report also proposes a replicable framework for India's vertiport requirements to ensure public safety and support the growth of the sector. Vignesh Santhanam, India Lead for Aerospace, Drones & Space Economy at C4IR India, World Economic Forum, told Fortune India that another study estimating the ecosystem and GDP impact is currently being planned by the organisation.
What are India’s plans for Advanced Air Mobility?
In September, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued advisories on airworthiness certification for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and guidelines for establishing vertiports, marking a critical step toward developing India’s emerging Urban Air Mobility sector. The aviation regulator’s framework is expected to support air taxi services, projected to launch by 2026. Major cities anticipated to see the first VTOL flights include Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
IndiGo parent InterGlobe Enterprises, in partnership with Boeing-backed Archer Aviation, also had signed an MoU in 2023 with plans to launch an all-electric air taxi service in India by 2026. The service aims to cut down the 60–90-minute drive between Delhi’s Connaught Place and Gurugram (27 km) to just 7 minutes.
Further, a Bangalore-based company, Sarla Aviation has also reportedly in October partnered with Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) to launch air taxis in the city, aimed at reducing travel time and vehicular pollution. The eVTOL service is expected to cover the 52-kilometre route between Bengaluru Airport and Electronics City in just 19 minutes, significantly reducing the current travel time of nearly three hours during rush hour, with a fare of ₹1,700.
At ICAO's 2nd APAC Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in September, PM Narendra Modi revealed that Indian airlines have collectively placed orders for 1,200 aircraft. The country currently operates over 800 aircraft, with IndiGo holding the largest fleet.
