India looks at promoting seaplanes to boost air connectivity

Its geography is ideal for such flights, but there is uncertainty over financial viability

- Debarshi Dasgupta

NEW DELHI - Migratory birds from distant places are a common sight at India's water bodies as winter sets in.

But in 2024, they had company: a grey, amphibious seaplane that conducted multiple demonstration flights as the country explores the potential of this transport solution to boost connectivity with far-flung areas.

India has a geography that is ideal for such flights. It has a coastline that is 7,517km long, outlying archipelagoes and an extensive network of inland water bodies such as rivers and lakes.

But uncertainty over financial viability may put a spanner in the works of ambitious plans for India to have an operational seaplane service.

A total of 27 seaplane demonstration flights were held from Nov 9 to 17 in various locations across the country, including in the states of Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Kerala.

The flights were organised by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC) - a Canadian aircraft manufacturer that deployed one of its DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft - with support from various authorities, including state governments and India's Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Speaking at one such trial on Nov 14, at Umiam Lake in the northeastern state of Meghalaya, Indian Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said the government is keen to promote the seaplane industry, which would "unlock economic potential, boost tourism and connect communities across India like never before".

Should the plans for seaplane services take off, connectivity to and within archipelagoes such as Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea or the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal - where demonstration flights were also held successfully - would get a boost.

But several other locations in India could also benefit.