Civil Aviation Minister Naidu witnesses Pawan Hans MoU with Norway’s Noemi Aerospace

Delhi: Pawan Hans Limited (PHL), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, signed a Non-Binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Noemi Aerospace (Elfly AS), Norway to explore opportunities for collaboration in next-generation sustainable aviation technologies, including electric seaplane solutions.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Samir Kumar Sinha. The agreement was signed by Sunil Kumar Nagdawne, CMD, Pawan Hans, and Eric François Lithun, CEEO, Noemi Aerospace.

The proposed collaboration seeks to establish a framework for exploring potential cooperation in the areas like Electric seaplane technologies, skill development and capacity building, technical knowledge sharing and workshops and feasibility studies.

This initiative aligns with the Government of India’s push for regional and island connectivity, green aviation, and indigenous manufacturing under the "Make in India" vision. Highlighting these goals, the Civil Aviation Minister noted that the Union Budget 2026 supports the sector through a proposed Seaplane Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme and manufacturing incentives.

Over the past two years, India has laid the groundwork for seaplane operations by simplifying regulations, introducing dedicated operational guidelines, and conducting nationwide demonstration flights, Minister Naidu said. Combining global technology partnerships with domestic manufacturing capabilities aims to serve both local and regional demand while strengthening the nation's civil aviation ecosystem.

Noemi Aerospace, headquartered in Bergen, Norway, is engaged in the development of next-generation electric seaplane technology. The initiative reflects Pawan Hans’ continued commitment to innovation, operational excellence and supporting India’s evolving aviation ecosystem through strategic international partnerships.