Pawan Hans计划扩大直升机机队，重启水上飞机服务并探索eVTOL

Naidu called for Pawan Hans to re-enter the seaplane segment, recalling its earlier operations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2010.

New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has urged state-owned helicopter operator Pawan Hans Ltd to expand its helicopter services, revive seaplane operations and explore emerging technologies such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to strengthen regional air connectivity in India.

Addressing the company’s 42nd Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi on Thursday, the minister highlighted opportunities in emergency medical services, religious tourism and access to remote destinations. He said the government’s aviation expansion strategy must go beyond airports and conventional aircraft to include heliports and wider helicopter connectivity. Naidu called on Pawan Hans to take the lead in developing these services, particularly heli-ambulance operations and connectivity to religious destinations that are difficult to reach by road.

The minister said the Civil Aviation Ministry was supporting Pawan Hans’s fleet renewal programme through the induction of indigenous helicopters manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). Four Made-in-India civilian Dhruv helicopters have already been provided to the company, with six more expected to join its fleet. Under the modified UDAN scheme, the government plans to develop 200 modern heliports across the country, including in aspirational districts, hilly regions and island territories. The minister also highlighted the potential for greater use of helicopters in emergency medical transportation, including organ transfers, and called for closer engagement with state governments to identify regional connectivity requirements. India currently has around 250 civilian helicopters, against an estimated requirement of more than 1,000, according to remarks reported at the event.

Naidu also called for Pawan Hans to re-enter the seaplane segment, recalling its earlier operations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2010. The government is examining potential destinations beyond the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, including inland locations with suitable water bodies. State governments will have an important role in identifying viable routes and destinations. The minister referred to existing operator Skyhawk and said the government wanted Pawan Hans to participate in the emerging market. He also encouraged the company to prepare for eVTOL aircraft, which could offer new options for urban and regional mobility as the technology develops. Separately, the government is consulting stakeholders, with the Finance Ministry involved, on aircraft leasing and fractional ownership as possible ways to increase the number of aircraft available in India to meet growing demand for air travel.