New Airlines Soon in India, Aviation Ministry Granted NOCs to These Airlines

The Civil Aviation Ministry has granted NOCs for two more airlines. Al Hind Air and FlyExpress to come onto the market. Shankh Air also received the NOC, as per the media reports.

According to the reports, with IndiGo and the Air India Group holding more than 90% of the domestic market between them, the approvals occur at a time of heightened the industry’s expanding duopoly. Over 65% of the market is held by IndiGo alone.

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In a tweet on X on Tuesday, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu acknowledged the approvals. According to him, the ministry had held meetings with representatives from FlyExpress, Al Hind Air and Shankh Air. The NOCs for Al Hind Air and FlyExpress were approved this week, but Shankh Air had already received authorization earlier.

The government’s overall effort to increase participation in the industry includes bringing in new competitors. The number of scheduled domestic airlines in India is now just nine and it has decreased even more since October, when the regional airline FlyBig stopped offering its planned services.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, tweets, “Over the last 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 Ministry, Al Hind… pic.twitter.com/jIUKPoZ3ck — ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2025

The Kerala-based alhind Group, which is already active in travel and associated services, is promoting Al Hind Air. FlyExpress is yet another airline that intends to break into the domestic market at a period when there is still a strong demand for air travel but little competition. It is anticipated that Shankh Air, which has already received its NOC, will begin flying in 2026. Prior to launching commercial operations, all three airlines will still need to go through a number of regulatory and operational procedures.