Charter & Fractional
India Expands Emergency Medical Flight Network
The Indian government plans to build hundreds of helipads along highways that could be used by helicopters, drones, and new eVTOL aircraft.
Helicopters at the All India Institute of Medical Science
Emergency medical helicopters will be based at the All India Institute of Medical Science in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. (Image: AIIMS)

India is embarking on a project to boost the use of helicopters for emergency medical services (EMS) with a plan to build a network of helipads along major highways. The initiative, which is being launched in the mountainous northern state of Uttarakhand, is expected to extend across the vast country with plans for at least 600 landing sites that could also be used by drones and eVTOLs.

In February, helicopter operator Pinnacle Air won a bid to provide its Airbus H125 EMS aircraft for a pilot project called "Sanjeevani" (translation: "immortality") that was organized by the Uttarakhand state government and India’s civil aviation ministry. According to the company’s director Sandeep Saraf, the state is well placed to lead the nationwide initiative because it already has 28 helipads, including seven located along highways.