Air Taxis To Fly In India By 2028? Aviation Minister Backs Sarla Aviation

India could see air taxis take to the skies by 2028, with Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu backing Bengaluru-based Sarla Aviation's push to develop an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. During a visit to the company's headquarters, Naidu said the technology could offer a major solution to traffic congestion in metropolitan cities and transform the way urban transport and planning are approached.

Sarla Aviation has developed a prototype eVTOL and received Design Organisation Approval from the DGCA. The company is expected to enter the testing phase next year, with the government targeting 2028 for these machines to become a reality in India. The minister also highlighted the company's focus on indigenous manufacturing, saying most components, apart from avionics, are made in India, which could help bring down costs and improve the viability of air taxi services.