Budget 2018: Government to come up with framework for investment in sea plane operations: Arun Jaitley

MUMBAI: India will put in place a "necessary framework for higher investment in sea plane operations", finance minister Arun Jaitley said Thursday, presenting the government's latest fiscal budget for 2018-19.

He, however, did not elaborate about it in his speech.

Sea planes as a mode of transport have been making headlines, especially after the Gujarat elections when prime minister Narendra Modi flew across the river Sabarmati in Ahmedabad to Dharoi dam in Mehsana district as part of his campaign.


Low fare carrier SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh has said the airline plans to buy about 100 of the amphibian aircraft that can land on both sea and land.

The airline in October signed a pact with Japan's Setouchi Holdings to bring sea planes to India. Quest Aircraft Company held by Setouchi makes aircraft that can seat up to eight passengers.

Nitin Gadkari, Road Transport and Highways and Shipping and Water Resources Minister has been publicly making his plans clear of making sea planes an effective mode of transportation in India and new rules to facilitate the same.