Advanced Air Mobility not a distant dream for India but an ongoing transition: Civil Aviation Secretary at Wings India 2026

Advanced Air Mobility, or AAM, is no longer a distant ambition tied to Vision 2047 but a transition that has already begun, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said at Wings India 2026 on Thursday, January 29.

Speaking at a session titled India’s Skyward Arc: Accelerating AAM from Vision 2047 to Reality, Sinha framed the debate not as futuristic speculation but as an urgent policy and ecosystem challenge. He described advanced air mobility as one of the most exciting frontiers in global aviation.

Designed for small passenger loads and capable of operating without additional runways, electric vertical take-off and landing platforms, or eVTOLs, have the potential to transform urban transport, emergency services, logistics and business connectivity, he said. “For India, the technology carries strategic significance. With rising congestion and infrastructure constraints in cities, advanced air mobility could complement surface transport by enabling cleaner, quieter and more efficient movement,” he added.

He revealed that a recent review within the Ministry concluded that India’s regulatory and policy framework for eVTOL and AAM is largely in place and comparable to developments in Western markets.

Vertiports, permissions and the urban puzzle

While the policy framework may be evolving, industry participants stressed that execution will determine the pace of adoption.

Kanika Tekriwal, Chairperson of the FICCI Advanced Air Mobility Taskforce and Co-founder and CEO of JetSetGo, highlighted the need for early engagement with state governments. “Helicopter take-off currently requires 29 permissions involving fire services, ambulance services, police and district administration. Replicating that model for every eVTOL movement would be unworkable,” she said.

Clem Newton-Brown, Director and CEO of SkySportz, cautioned that the industry cannot deliver aviation-on-demand by relying solely on existing airports and helipads. “The revolution depends on a dense network of modular and affordable vertiports that resemble bus stops more than traditional airports,” he added. He also identified three operational risks that need attention: downwash and outwash hazards, noise during take-off, and battery fires, which require full water immersion for suppression.

The economics of adoption

Amit Dutta, Chairman of the CII Task Force on Short Haul Air Mobility, cautioned against underestimating consumer adoption timelines. “Under current assumptions, a 15-minute journey with four passengers could cost about ₹9,000 per seat. In a price-sensitive market such as India, optimisation across the value chain will be critical to making the model commercially viable,” he said.