Indian Navy plans to induct amphibious aircraft that can land and take off from water and surface

The Ministry of Defence has released a request for information (RFI) to wet-lease four amphibious aircraft for a period of four years for the Indian Navy. The Navy has been seeking to induct this category of aircraft for more than a decade, having initiated the process to procure amphibious aircraft in 2011 to strengthen India’s coastal security, but a deal has so far remained elusive.

According to the RFI, the aircraft should be capable of taking off and landing from water surfaces, including the sea and inland lakes, as well as from conventional runways. The primary roles envisaged include operational logistics support, long-range search and rescue, special operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and casualty evacuation. The aircraft may also be deployed for anti-piracy and anti-narcotics missions, in addition to maritime patrol duties.

At the 2018 Defence Expo, the Mahindra Group signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan-based amphibious aircraft manufacturer ShinMaywa Industries Limited for the manufacturing and assembly of the ShinMaywa US-2 aircraft.


Earlier, in 2016, The Economic Times reported that India was considering the acquisition of 12 amphibious rescue aircraft from ShinMaywa Industries in a deal estimated at $1.5–1.6 billion. At the time, India and Japan had been holding discussions on the proposed purchase for nearly two years.

The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft with a flexible airframe design that allows it to be configured for multiple roles, including firefighting, passenger transport and multi-purpose amphibious operations. The aircraft can carry up to 20 passengers or 12 stretchers and is designed to rapidly reach remote islands and maritime accident sites during search and rescue operations.

According to the report, the Indian Navy had planned to base the seaplanes in the Andaman Islands, a move that would provide coverage across the Bay of Bengal and strengthen India’s strategic presence in a region bordered by Myanmar and Indonesia.