Two new airlines—Al Hind Air and FlyExpress—are set to enter India’s skies after receiving no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the civil aviation ministry, as the government steps up efforts to broaden competition in one of the world’s fastest-growing domestic aviation markets.
Uttar Pradesh-based Shankh Air, which has already secured its NOC, is also expected to commence operations in 2026. The airline plans to launch services in the first quarter of the year.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu confirmed the latest approvals, underscoring the ministry’s push to encourage new entrants.
“Over the last one week, pleased to have met teams from new airlines aspiring to take wings in Indian skies- Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress. While Shankh Air has already got the NOC from the Ministry, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress have received their NOCs this week,” Naidu said in a post on X on Tuesday.
According to the minister, promoting additional airline operators remains a priority for the government, particularly as concerns over an apparent duopoly have intensified following recent operational disruptions at IndiGo, which alone commands over 65 per cent of the domestic market. IndiGo and the Air India Group—Air India and Air India Express—together control more than 90 per cent of the market.
Al Hind Air is being promoted by the Kerala-based Alhind Group, while FlyExpress is also gearing up to enter scheduled operations. The ministry has highlighted the role of schemes such as UDAN in enabling smaller carriers like Star Air, IndiaOne Air and Fly91 to strengthen regional connectivity, noting further scope for growth.
At present, India has nine operational scheduled domestic airlines.
Apart from IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and state-owned Alliance Air, other carriers include Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, Fly91 and IndiaOne Air, according to the latest Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data.
Regional airline Fly Big suspended scheduled flights in October.
In recent years, several carriers, including Go First and Jet Airways, have exited the market amid mounting debt.
Meanwhile, Shankh Air’s promoter, Shankh Aviation, said preparations are underway for its launch. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the company said its aircraft are currently undergoing technical reviews and are being readied for delivery to India. Shankh Aviation Chairman and Managing Director Sharvan Kumar Vishwakarma recently met Minister Naidu to brief him on the airline’s plans.
Vishwakarma said the airline aims to start operations around the first quarter of 2026 and plans to scale up its fleet to 20–25 aircraft over the next two to three years. The minister, according to the statement, assured full cooperation from the ministry and the DGCA to ensure all procedures are completed in a time-bound manner, enabling a smooth start to operations.
