印度民用航空部长敦促Pawan Hans扩展直升机、水上飞机和eVTOL服务

The Union Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, has called on Pawan Hans to broaden its helicopter operations, explore seaplane services and prepare for emerging electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technologies as part of efforts to strengthen India’s aviation sector.

Addressing the 42nd Foundation Day of Pawan Hans in Delhi on October 16, the minister highlighted the company’s significant role in enhancing regional connectivity, emergency medical services, and religious tourism through helicopter operations.

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“Today Pawan Hans is celebrating their 42nd foundation day, and I am extremely delighted to participate in their celebrations. For the last four decades, they have been one of the most important players in this industry, and today we see there is a renewed sense of purpose as we move towards our Viksit Bharat 2047 goal,” Naidu stated.

He outlined the growth of India’s aviation sector over the past decade and emphasised the government’s aim to expand infrastructure beyond airports by increasing the number of heliports and helicopters nationwide.

“You all know how aviation has grown in the country in the last 10 years under the leadership of our PM Modi. We have increased the number of airports; more travellers are coming into aviation, and the number of aircraft is also increasing. But we just don’t want to focus on the aircraft or the airports. We want to have more heliports in the country, and we want to expand our helicopter fleet also,” Naidu said.

The minister urged Pawan Hans to lead efforts in expanding helicopter services, particularly heli-ambulance operations and connectivity to religious tourism sites.

“We want Pawan Hans to take the lead and capture the opportunity that is there in front of us. There are heli-ambulance services that are required in the country. There are a lot more religious tourism destinations that can be unlocked through helicopter operations,” he added.

Naidu also emphasised the potential for renewed seaplane operations, noting that Pawan Hans had previously operated seaplanes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

“Also, not only helicopter operations; we see great potential in seaplane operations. Pawan Hans has been one of the first movers into these seaplane operations back in 2010 when they were doing it in the Andamans. So we want them to come back into this area,” he said.

The minister encouraged the company to explore the emerging eVTOL technology, describing it as a future segment of aviation that could become a reality within the next two years.

“Then we see futuristic technologies, eVTOLs, electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, also becoming a reality in the next two years. We want Pawan Hans to move into that arena also,” he stated.

Naidu assured that the Ministry of Civil Aviation would continue to support Pawan Hans, including through the induction of domestically manufactured helicopters.

“From the Ministry of Civil Aviation, we are strongly supporting them. We are strongly betting on them. For that, we are providing continuous support. Four Made in India civilian Dhruv helicopters by HAL have already been provided to Pawan Hans in the renewal of their fleet. Six more are yet to come,” he said.

Under the new UDAN scheme, Naidu revealed plans to develop 200 modern heliports across the country, including in aspirational districts, hilly regions and island destinations. The scheme also includes the procurement of two new civilian helicopters.

Regarding seaplane operations, he stated the government was assessing possible destinations beyond Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including inland locations with suitable water bodies, and called for state governments’ participation to identify viable routes and destinations.

“We are assessing different locations, not only Lakshadweep or the Andamans, but there are many inland locations also where there are water bodies that seaplane operations can be expanded to. So for that, we want the states also to come forward. So we are actively discussing with the states,” Naidu said.

He further mentioned Skyhawk as an existing operator in the seaplane sector and expressed the government’s desire for Pawan Hans to enter the market.

“There is one operator, Skyhawk, there. We want Pawan Hans also to come into that. And when the agreement clicks with the states also, and we know which destinations to operate, I think then it’s definitely going to be a reality, and we are working very strongly on getting it operated as soon as possible,” he explained.

The minister also discussed the government’s exploration of fractional aircraft ownership and leasing to increase the number of aircraft available to meet rising demand.

“Fractional ownership, leasing of aircraft—we want India to strongly facilitate it, and we are in discussion with the stakeholders for it, and the Ministry of Finance is also strongly involved. So we want to take their feedback also,” he said.

Concluding, Naidu emphasised the need to expand India’s aircraft fleet to meet growing air travel demand and assured government support for initiatives that facilitate this expansion.

“And if you ask the Ministry of Civil Aviation, we want to see more planes in our fleet because the demand is so high today that we don’t have the necessary number of planes. Fractional ownership helps us to bring more planes. If leasing operations help us to get more planes, then definitely we will support those ideas,” he added.