Pawan Hans signs MoU with Norway's Noemi to explore electric seaplanes in India

State-owned helicopter operator Pawan Hans has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Norway's Noemi Aerospace (Elfly AS) to explore collaboration on electric seaplane technologies, the civil aviation ministry said on Wednesday.

The agreement, signed in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, seeks to establish a framework for cooperation in areas including electric seaplane technologies, skill development, technical knowledge sharing and feasibility studies.

The MoU was signed by Pawan Hans Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Kumar Nagdawne and Noemi Aerospace Chief Executive Officer Eric François Lithun.

According to the ministry, the proposed collaboration is aimed at supporting the government's push for regional connectivity, green aviation, island connectivity and the adoption of emerging aviation technologies.

Speaking at the event, Naidu said the partnership reflects the government's vision of strengthening indigenous capabilities while exploring new technologies in the civil aviation sector.

"Our vision is not limited to operating seaplanes in India; we also want to build them in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India initiative," the minister said.

He said the Union Budget for 2026-27 has proposed incentives for indigenous seaplane manufacturing and a viability gap funding (VGF) scheme to support seaplane operations.

"If we combine global technology partnerships with Indian manufacturing capability, then we can cater to the local and regional demand for seaplanes," Naidu said.

The minister said the government has taken several steps over the past two years to promote seaplane operations, including issuing dedicated operational guidelines, simplifying the regulatory framework and conducting demonstration flights to encourage stakeholder participation.

Noemi Aerospace, headquartered in Bergen, Norway, is developing next-generation electric seaplane technology with support from the Norwegian government.

The ministry said the MoU is exploratory in nature and does not involve any financial, procurement or investment commitments. Any future collaboration will require separate definitive agreements and approvals from the competent authorities.

Pawan Hans said the partnership is part of its efforts to promote innovation and support the development of India's aviation ecosystem through international collaborations.