Pawan Hans Limited (PHL), the government-owned helicopter operator under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Noemi Aerospace (Elfly AS) of Norway on 5 August 2026 in New Delhi. The partnership will explore next-generation sustainable aviation technologies, with a special focus on electric seaplane solutions. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha witnessed the signing.
What the MoU Covers
The agreement was signed by Sunil Kumar Nagdawne, Chairman and Managing Director of Pawan Hans, and Eric François Lithun, Chief Executive Officer of Noemi Aerospace. The MoU is non-binding and exploratory, which means it does not create any financial commitment, procurement obligation, investment promise, or exclusivity for either side.
The two organisations will jointly explore cooperation in electric seaplane technologies, skill development and capacity building, technical knowledge sharing and workshops, and feasibility studies for operating electric seaplanes in India. The larger aim is to advance next-generation sustainable aviation solutions and strengthen regional and island air connectivity.
Any future collaboration beyond this MoU will need separate definitive agreements and approvals from the competent authorities under Indian law and government procedures. The arrangement gives both companies a framework to study the possibilities first, without locking either party into any immediate spending.
Pawan Hans: The Helicopter Pioneer
Pawan Hans Limited is a central public sector undertaking (CPSU) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It is the country’s only government-owned helicopter service provider and one of the largest helicopter operators in Asia.
A PSU with Deep Roots in India’s Skies
The company was incorporated on 15 October 1985 as the Helicopter Corporation of India (HCI) and began operations on 1 November 1985 with two British Westland helicopters. It was renamed Pawan Hans Ltd in August 1986. It is classified as a Mini Ratna-I category PSU and is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Over the years, Pawan Hans has flown more than 1 million hours and carried lakhs of passengers across the country. Its helicopters are a lifeline for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, where they provide inter-island transport, ferrying of people to mainland airports, and medical evacuation. It also operates services for oil exploration companies, including offshore support for ONGC, and runs helicopter services for pilgrimage sites such as Kedarnath, Amarnath, and Vaishno Devi.
In a bid to modernise and remain relevant in a rapidly changing aviation market, Pawan Hans has been seeking fresh growth areas. The company’s foray into seaplanes is not new. In December 2010, it jointly launched Jal Hans, India’s first commercial seaplane service, with the Andaman and Nicobar administration, using an eight-seater Cessna 208A amphibian aircraft to connect Port Blair and Havelock Island.
Noemi Aerospace and Its “No Emissions” Seaplane
Noemi Aerospace, formerly known as Elfly Group or Elfly AS, is a Norwegian aviation company headquartered in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city and a major coastal hub. The company was founded in 2018 by Eric François Lithun, who remains its Chief Executive Officer.
Noemi Aerospace is developing an all-electric commercial seaplane named NOEMI, which stands for “No Emissions”. The project has been supported by the Government of Norway and the Research Council of Norway (RCN), along with private investment. The company has secured around $10 million in funding from the Norwegian government for the development programme.
The company began building its full-scale prototype in May 2026 and hopes to fly it by the end of 2027. It is targeting entry into commercial service around 2030, with plans to operate its own aircraft along the Norwegian fjords using a self-designed propulsion system built from off-the-shelf automotive components.
Key Technical Features of the NOEMI
The NOEMI is designed as an amphibious seaplane, meaning it can take off and land on both water and land. Here are the key technical specifications:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Seating capacity | 9 passengers (configurable from 6 to 13 seats) |
| Range | About 200 km (170 km with full reserves) |
| Top speed | 250 km/h |
| Motors | Two electric motors with combined output of up to 1 MW |
| Emissions | Zero, fully battery-electric |
| Operating cost | Roughly 50 per cent lower than conventional aircraft |
| Certification target | CS23 Level 4, with scope to grow into a 19-seater |
The aircraft is designed to be quiet, saltwater-resistant, and easy to maintain, making it ideal for coastal and island operations. It draws design inspiration from classic flying boats such as the de Havilland Twin Otter and the Grumman Mallard. Noemi Aerospace believes there is a large untapped market for efficient seaplanes to serve remote coastal communities and island groups, a need that fits India’s geography well.
Why Seaplanes Matter for India
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to take off from and land on water. It combines the speed of an aircraft with the flexibility of a boat, because it needs no runway and can operate from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and the sea. This makes it a powerful tool for reaching areas where building an airport is difficult or expensive.
India’s geography makes it an ideal market for seaplanes. The country has a coastline of about 7,500 km, over 1,300 islands, including the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep groups, and a vast network of rivers and inland waterways. Many of these areas have poor road and rail connectivity, and building conventional airports is not always feasible. Seaplanes can fill this gap by connecting islands, coastal towns, and remote riverine regions directly.
Seaplanes are also relevant to India’s green transition. With the aviation sector under pressure to cut emissions, electric aircraft offer a clean alternative for short regional routes. This fits into the government’s broader goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
India’s Seaplane Journey So Far
India’s tryst with seaplanes began in December 2010, when the Jal Hans service was launched by Pawan Hans and the Andaman and Nicobar administration to fly tourists between Port Blair and Havelock Island. That pilot project, however, could not be sustained and was eventually discontinued.
In October 2020, a seaplane service was started on the route between the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat, under the regional connectivity scheme. This service, operated by a private airline, was also suspended within a year because of weak demand.
Despite these setbacks, the government has persisted. In August 2024, the Union Civil Aviation Minister launched the Guidelines for Seaplane Operations in India, simplifying the rules to encourage operators. The government plans to set up water aerodromes at about 18 locations across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Goa, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. Commercial seaplane operations have also begun in Lakshadweep through a private operator, and other states are preparing similar services.
The Bigger Push: Policy Support and Green Aviation
The MoU with Noemi Aerospace did not happen in isolation. It is backed by a clear policy push from the government at multiple levels.
In the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed incentives for the indigenisation of seaplane manufacturing to enhance last-mile and remote connectivity and promote tourism. She also announced a Seaplane Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme to support seaplane operations, meaning the government will cover part of the operational losses on routes that are not immediately profitable. In addition, the Budget proposed an exemption of basic customs duty on components and parts used in civilian aircraft manufacturing, giving a boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem.
These steps are part of a wider green aviation strategy. India has committed to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blending targets of 1 per cent by 2027, 2 per cent by 2028, and 5 per cent by 2030 on international flights, in line with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which becomes mandatory from 2027. Electric aircraft such as the NOEMI are another pillar of this strategy, aimed at cutting emissions on short regional routes.
Green Strategic Partnership with Norway
The MoU also reflects the deepening ties between India and Norway. In May 2026, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Oslo, the two countries elevated their bilateral relationship to a Green Strategic Partnership, covering clean energy, climate resilience, green shipping, and the blue economy. Norway, a global leader in clean energy and maritime technology, has a strong presence in India through companies such as Telenor, Equinor, Yara, DNV, and Jotun. The India-Norway partnership is also anchored in the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which Norway is a part of along with Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
Within this framework, the Pawan Hans-Noemi MoU is a natural extension of India-Norway cooperation in sustainable transport. It allows India to tap into Norwegian technology and expertise in electric aviation while supporting its own goals of green aviation and indigenous manufacturing under the Make in India vision.
The Way Forward
The MoU is only the first step. For it to translate into real seaplane services, both sides will need to sign definitive agreements, complete feasibility studies, and obtain regulatory clearances. Pawan Hans will also need to evaluate whether electric seaplanes can operate viably on Indian routes, given factors such as charging infrastructure, battery range, and weather conditions.
India’s previous seaplane experiments failed largely because of poor demand and high operating costs. The government is trying to address these issues through the VGF scheme, simplified regulations, and support for manufacturing. If these measures succeed, electric seaplanes could finally become a reliable mode of transport for India’s islands and remote coastal areas, cutting travel time and emissions at the same time.
For Pawan Hans, this partnership is part of a broader strategy to diversify beyond helicopters and remain relevant in a changing aviation landscape. For Noemi Aerospace, it opens the door to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing aviation markets. The direction is clear, even if the road ahead is long. India wants to not only fly seaplanes but build them at home, and this agreement with Norway is a step toward that goal.
Key Takeaways
- Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL) signed a non-binding MoU with Noemi Aerospace (Elfly AS) of Norway on 5 August 2026 in New Delhi to explore electric seaplane and sustainable aviation technologies.
- Pawan Hans is a central public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, incorporated on 15 October 1985 as the Helicopter Corporation of India, and headquartered in Noida.
- Noemi Aerospace, headquartered in Bergen, Norway, is developing the NOEMI, a nine-seat, zero-emission, all-electric amphibious seaplane with about 200 km range and roughly 50 per cent lower operating costs than conventional aircraft.
- Jal Hans, India’s first commercial seaplane service, was launched by Pawan Hans in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in December 2010.
- The Union Budget 2026-27 proposed incentives for indigenising seaplane manufacturing and a Seaplane Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for seaplane operations.
- India and Norway elevated their ties to a Green Strategic Partnership in May 2026 during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Oslo.
