India's ambitions to usher in an era of electric air taxis may take longer than anticipated, with uncertainty surrounding the launch timeline of services planned by InterGlobe Enterprises, the parent of IndiGo, and US-based Archer Aviation.
In November 2023, InterGlobe Enterprises and Archer Aviation announced a partnership to introduce all-electric air taxi services in India from 2026. The proposed network aimed to connect destinations within a 30-50 km radius, reducing travel times from 60-90 minutes by road to as little as seven minutes using Archer's Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
However, Archer is yet to secure full certification for Midnight from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), despite earlier expectations of commencing commercial operations in the United States in 2024.
Industry sources indicate that IndiGo's plans to launch air taxi services in India within 2026 may not materialise as originally envisioned. Archer is currently focused on preparing for commercial operations in the US in 2026 and is positioning itself for the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028, where it has been named the official air taxi provider.
Even as questions remain over Archer's India timeline, IndiGo Ventures, the venture capital arm of IndiGo Airlines, has moved to diversify its bets in the emerging urban air mobility sector. In April 2026, the fund acquired a stake in Bengaluru-based Sarla Aviation, a startup developing indigenous eVTOL aircraft with a target of commercialisation by 2030.
"It is a good thing for IndiGo to have secured partnerships from both India and abroad. The initial idea is to get the foot in the door," a senior Sarla Aviation executive said when asked about IndiGo Ventures' investment.
Archer Aviation did not respond to queries sent by this publication. Responding to questions regarding the Archer partnership and the investment in Sarla Aviation, InterGlobe Aviation said: "We do not have any major update to share."
10/06/2026 Swaraj Baggonkar/Moneycontrol
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