The Indian government will launch trials of indigenously-based air taxi services in 2026 in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune, according to Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, speaking on 31 January at an Aeronautical Society of India event in Pune, reports The Indian Express.
Steps are being taken towards developing air taxis, with trials planned by 2026, says the report, and fifty new airports will be built in the next five years. By 2047, the total number of airports will exceed 200, said the minister.
Naidu informed that India has around 30,000 drones in operation, with plans to increase the number to 300,000 by 2047. He said the government will reduce import duties on drone equipment to promote domestic production
The Aeronautical Society of India organised the two-day national conference titled Challenges in Aerospace for Viksit Bharat- 2047 and 73rd Annual General Meeting at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Auditorium, Pashan.
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(Image: Night illuminated Shree Swaminarayan temple with dark blue clouds background, Pune – Shutterstock)