Nitin Gadkari pushes for local manufacturing of seaplanes

NEW DELHI: To encourage indigenous manufacturing of seaplanes, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari today mooted the idea of joint ventures in which global companies can hold majority stake.

Seaplanes are aircraft that can land and take off from water.

"If we start manufacturing seaplanes in India by inviting international firms, we can bring the capital cost down," he said here.

If the global companies are allowed to hold 51 per cent and the remaining 49 per cent stays with the government the arrangement could prove beneficial, he added.

The government is also planning a Waterport Authority of India to facilitate plying of seaplanes.

Country's maiden seaplane services was launched in August between Mumbai and Lonavala by Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (Mehair), in association with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.