India Seaplanes Market

American seaplane manufacturers should consider establishing sales channels in the Indian amphibious aviation market now as the market is set to develop rapidly. The total market for seaplanes in the next five years could be in the range of 600 aircraft amounting to over $2.4 billion. This will also open opportunities in maintenance and repair services as well as pilot training to support the growing market.
 
Indian airline SpiceJet plans to buy more than 100 amphibious commercial passenger aircraft at an estimated cost of USD $400 million when regulations are lifted for seaplanes. 

Currently the Government of Indian (GOI) does not allow commercial seaplanes to operate in India, but recent developments indicate this will change soon. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has fast tracked the process of framing regulations for seaplanes in order start commercial operations before 2019.  Representatives from MoCA, Airports Authority of India and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Ministry of Shipping are expected to draft regulations for the amphibious aviation sector, which has had a limited presence in India.

India’s Civil Aviation Minister granted an initial “No Objection Certificate” to Sea Bird Seaplane Private Limited (http://seabird.in/) to operate non-scheduled air transport service with a Quest Aircraft Kodiak 100 type of aircraft.  In early December 2017, Prime Minister Modi made a media splash by landing on a river in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in a seaplane and announcing that India needs to develop the amphibious aviation sector in India.   In 2017, a 12-seater Kodiak took a demonstration flight from the coast of Mumbai carrying GOI officials for a seaplane trial run by budget carrier SpiceJet. 
 
For more information contact your local U.S. Commercial Service, or Mumbai office.mumbai@trade.gov