India is targeting 2028 for the launch of electric air taxis, with testing of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft expected to accelerate from next year. The government views the technology as a potential new layer of urban transport for congested metropolitan regions such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi, where airport-to-city journeys can take up to two hours by road.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said India wants to move from experimentation to commercial deployment within the next two years, provided the industry can meet the twin requirements of safety and affordability.

Speaking at the inauguration of Bengaluru-based Sarla Aviation’s new headquarters, Naidu said, “By 2028, we want to see these machines fly in India. There is a huge requirement, not only in Bangalore, but Mumbai and Delhi.” He added that he expected Sarla Aviation to enter the testing phase fully next year.

“I expect that next year we’ll completely be in the testing phase,” the minister said, adding, “By 2028, we plan to make this happen.” The government’s objective is to develop an indigenous advanced-air-mobility ecosystem that can serve airport transfers, intra-city travel, emergency services and cargo movement.

From congested roads to urban air mobility

Electric air taxis are being positioned as a response to the worsening congestion in India’s major cities. The proposed aircraft would operate from designated take-off and landing locations, known as vertiports, and could connect airports with business districts, technology corridors and urban centres. According to Naidu, eVTOL aircraft could reduce airport-to-city travel time to approximately 20–30 minutes, compared with journeys of as much as two hours during peak traffic.

The technology is particularly relevant to Bengaluru, where severe road congestion has created demand for faster links between Kempegowda International Airport and the city. Mumbai and Delhi, with their dense populations, long commuting distances and significant airport traffic, are also being considered important markets. The government expects electric air taxis to complement existing transport systems rather than immediately replace road-based mobility.

Bengaluru airport has already entered into an agreement with Sarla Aviation for potential last-mile connectivity between the airport and the city. Manipal Hospitals has also signed an agreement with the company to explore air ambulance services. These arrangements indicate that the first commercial applications may not be limited to passenger taxis. Medical evacuation, emergency healthcare, cargo transport and airport shuttles could provide the initial use cases while the industry builds public confidence and develops a broader operating network.

Sarla Aviation’s 7 motor aircraft

Sarla Aviation is developing an aircraft that combines features of a drone, helicopter and conventional fixed-wing aircraft. Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adrian Schmidt said the vehicle belongs to a new category classified by regulators as a powered-lift aircraft. The design is intended to combine vertical take-off capability with forward flight, allowing the aircraft to rise from compact urban landing areas and then travel more efficiently once airborne.

The aircraft is being designed to carry six passengers and a pilot. It will use seven electric motors in total: six motors will provide vertical lift, while a seventh motor positioned at the rear will provide forward propulsion. “It’s powered by six electric motors that lift it up and one in the rear that pushes it forward. So we have a total of seven electric motors that we’re using and it’s piloted as of now with six passengers,” Schmidt said.

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The propulsion system will remain electric even though the company is keeping open the possibility of using an auxiliary power source in the future. Schmidt said the aircraft has enough space for the company to consider installing a turbo-generator that could recharge the batteries during flight. However, he made clear that the transfer of energy from the batteries to the motors would remain entirely electric. “We have enough space allocation so that we can consider putting in a turbo generator to charge our batteries mid-flight. But the energy transition from the battery to the motors is always going to be purely electric,” he said.

Sarla Aviation’s development programme has also received a regulatory boost. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has granted the company Design Organisation Approval, marking an important step in the process of developing, testing and certifying its eVTOL aircraft. The approval does not by itself permit commercial operations, but it provides a formal regulatory foundation for design work, safety evaluation and future certification.

From prototype to Air Taxi: India builds eVTOL rulebook

The transition from a prototype to a commercially deployable aircraft will depend on testing. The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA are expected to work with Sarla Aviation and other industry participants on flight testing, airworthiness, operational procedures, pilot requirements and safety rules. eVTOL aircraft combine features of helicopters, aircraft and drones, creating regulatory questions that do not fit neatly into existing aviation categories.

Testing will need to examine the aircraft’s electric propulsion system, battery performance, vertical take-off and landing capability, transition from hovering to forward flight, emergency procedures and behaviour under different weather conditions. Regulators will also have to assess noise levels, charging infrastructure, vertiport design, air-traffic integration and the interaction between eVTOL aircraft and conventional aviation.

The industry’s development is being supported by digital engineering tools. Sarla Aviation has adopted Siemens software to connect aircraft design, simulation, testing and certification through a digital development process. Such systems are intended to help engineers identify design problems earlier, improve coordination across different aircraft systems and create the documentation required for regulatory review. The company has said it plans to launch electric air taxi operations in Bengaluru by 2028.

The government’s approach reflects an attempt to advance the technology while avoiding compromises on safety. Naidu said the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA would continue working with the industry on testing, regulations and safety standards. For commercial operations to become viable, India will need a regulatory system that is sufficiently rigorous to protect passengers but also flexible enough to accommodate a new category of aircraft.

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Affordability to decide commercial success

While safety remains the primary consideration, Naidu said affordability would be equally important in determining whether electric air taxis can succeed in India. A service that is technically advanced but accessible only to a small number of affluent passengers may struggle to become a meaningful urban mobility solution.

Local manufacturing could help bring down costs. Naidu said that, apart from avionics, the aircraft’s components could be manufactured in India. Greater domestic production would reduce dependence on imported parts, create an indigenous supply chain and support the government’s broader ambitions in aerospace manufacturing. It could also enable Indian companies to develop expertise in electric propulsion, lightweight structures, batteries, flight-control systems and advanced materials.

The minister said India could eventually build an export market for domestically manufactured eVTOL aircraft. The opportunity would extend beyond operating air taxis within Indian cities; it could involve supplying aircraft, components, software and operational systems to other countries developing advanced urban mobility networks. Local production, however, will depend on achieving certification standards accepted by international markets, maintaining quality and ensuring the reliability of batteries and propulsion systems.

Sarla Aviation has attracted backing from several prominent investors, reflecting growing private-sector interest in electric aviation and advanced mobility. The Bengaluru-based startup is backed by venture capital firm Accel and Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath. Its investors also include Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Swiggy co-founder Sriharsha Majety, Urban Company co-founder Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Tracxn co-founder Abhishek Goyal, Livspace co-founder Ramakant Sharma and Udaan co-founder Sujeet Kumar.

IndiGo Ventures has also invested in the company, bringing the interest of a major aviation-linked investor into the emerging eVTOL sector. The presence of investors from technology, consumer internet, finance and aviation indicates that electric air taxis are being viewed not simply as an aerospace experiment, but as a potential business platform combining mobility, infrastructure, software and urban services.

Sarla Aviation is competing in an international market in which several companies in the United States and Europe are developing similar aircraft. Schmidt said the company wants to develop the technology in India, positioning the country as both a user and a producer of eVTOL systems. India’s large urban population, expanding aviation market and severe road congestion could provide a substantial domestic market if the technology becomes safe and affordable.

eVTOLs eye India’s next frontier: Healthcare, cargo and connectivity

The government’s vision for electric air taxis extends beyond premium urban commuting. Medical evacuation and air ambulance services could become important early applications because they offer a clear public-service benefit and can justify the use of aircraft even before mass passenger operations become commercially viable.

An electric aircraft capable of reaching hospitals quickly could help reduce travel times during medical emergencies, particularly in cities where road congestion delays ambulances. The agreement being explored between Sarla Aviation and Manipal Hospitals points to a possible healthcare application. Cargo transportation could represent another early market, especially for time-sensitive deliveries between airports, warehouses, hospitals and urban distribution centres.

The ministry also sees eVTOL aircraft as a tool for improving last-mile connectivity. Airport transfers are a natural starting point because passengers already have a strong incentive to save time and airports typically offer controlled operating environments. The Bengaluru airport agreement could therefore serve as an initial test of the commercial model before services expand to more complex urban routes.

India’s 2028 target is ambitious, but it is supported by growing cooperation between the government, regulators, airports, hospitals, investors and technology developers. The immediate priority will be to move Sarla Aviation and other manufacturers into structured testing next year. The period leading to 2028 will determine whether the industry can overcome challenges related to battery endurance, safety certification, pilot training, infrastructure, public acceptance and operating costs.

The government’s message is that electric air taxis should be developed as a domestic industrial capability rather than treated solely as an imported mobility service. If the programme succeeds, India could gain a new method of connecting airports and city centres, improve emergency transport and establish a platform for aerospace exports.

For now, the 2028 target remains a policy ambition rather than a guarantee of commercial operations. But the government’s support, DGCA’s Design Organisation Approval for Sarla Aviation, private investment and planned testing mark a shift from futuristic demonstrations toward a more structured aviation programme. As Naidu put it, India wants “to see these machines fly” by 2028.