Mahindra Aerospace Private Limited has signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Canada’s Viking Air Ltd. to form a strategic alliance to take advantage of India’s growing regional air connectivity opportunities.
Under the MoU, Mahindra Aerospace and Viking would support each other’s non-competing aircraft business to boost market expansion in identified territories and provide potential customers with options based on specific operational requirements.
“We value our alliance with Viking and are confident that the Viking Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft and our 8 and 10-seat Mahindra Airvan will offer a unique product portfolio to customers across various geographies,” said S.P. Shukla, group president - aerospace, defence and steel, Mahindra Group and chairman, Mahindra Aerospace.
“In India, this portfolio can address the much needed requirements of regional connectivity, where this range of aircraft offers a very suitable solution and desired boost to the UDAN scheme introduced by the Government of India.”
The MoU was signed during the ongoing visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to India.
‘Enormous market’
“Viking sees enormous market potential for the Series 400 Twin Otter in India with particular emphasis on the seaplane variant as it provides unmatched transportation solution for servicing India’s thousands of kilometres of coastline and river systems,” said David Curtis, president and CEO, Viking Air Ltd.
“We are confident that our alliance with Mahindra Group, such a well-established and well-regarded company, will provide the necessary traction the Series 400 deserves in India and will offer us new possibilities to collaborate in other territories as well,” he said.
Viking produces the Twin Otter Series 400, a 19-passenger, twin-engine utility turboprop aircraft that is capable of operating from multiple surfaces (including water). Mahindra Aerospace produces the 8-seat utility piston aircraft, the Mahindra Airvan 8 and the 10-seat turboprop utility aircraft, the Mahindra Airvan 10 and will in due course also introduce these aircraft in ski and float versions, according to a Mahindra statement.
