More competition for IndiGo, Air India: Shankh Air expected to begin operations in 2026; 2 new carriers get NOCs

Uttar Pradesh-based Shankh Air is expected to begin flight operations in the first quarter of 2026. The airlines has already secured a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Union civil aviation ministry,.Yesterday, two other carriers Al Hind Air and FlyExpress also received their NOCs, paving the way for fresh competition in India’s fast-growing domestic aviation market.Shankh Air will be operated by Shankh Aviation, whose aircraft are currently undergoing technical reviews and are being readied for delivery to India, the company said in a statement on Wednesday, according to PTI. The airline plans to launch flight services early next year and aims to scale up its fleet to 20–25 aircraft over the next two to three years.Shankh Aviation’s Chairman and Managing Director Sharvan Kumar Vishwakarma recently met civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu to brief him on the airline’s plans.Vishwakarma said the company is working towards a timely launch, while the minister assured full cooperation from the ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure that required procedures are completed smoothly and within stipulated timelines.

The approvals come as the government seeks to widen participation in India’s fast-growing domestic aviation market, which currently has only nine scheduled domestic airlines in operation. The number reduced further in October after regional carrier Fly Big suspended scheduled flights.Al Hind Air is being promoted by the Kerala-based alhind Group, while FlyExpress joins a list of aspiring carriers looking to enter a market where scale and pricing power are concentrated among a few major players.Concerns over an apparent duopoly in the sector have intensified in recent weeks. IndiGo and the Air India Group comprising Air India and Air India Express, together account for over 90 per cent of the domestic market, with IndiGo alone holding more than 65 per cent.Confirming the approvals, Naidu said in a post on X that the ministry had met teams from Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress over the past week. While Shankh Air already held its clearance, he said Al Hind Air and FlyExpress received their NOCs this week.

Naidu said encouraging more airline operators has been a consistent policy objective, given that Indian aviation is among the world’s fastest-growing markets. He highlighted the role of government schemes such as UDAN, which aim to improve regional connectivity and have helped smaller carriers like Star Air, IndiaOne Air and Fly91 expand services to underserved routes.According to the latest DGCA data, India’s scheduled carriers currently include IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Alliance Air, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, Fly91 and IndiaOne Air.