New Delhi: Australian firm Amphibian Aerospace Industries and Apogee Aerospace on Thursday forged a strategic collaboration to establish amphibious aviation as a strategically important capability for India, anchored by the Albatross 2.0 amphibious aircraft platform.
Albatross 2.0, the world’s first and only FAA or EASA certified Transport Category amphibious aircraft above 19 seats (up to 28 seats) in the Registered Passenger Transport (RPT) sector.
Under the collaboration, Apogee Aerospace has been designated as AAI’s exclusive Authorized Representative Partner for the Indian Subcontinent in the Restricted Category covering defence and government requirements.
The partnership extends across maintenance, repair and overhaul, training and capability development, simulation, end-to-end systems integration for the militarisation of the aircraft, and the establishment of aircraft tail-section manufacturing in India to support the global supply chain.
Commenting on the collaboration, Khoa Hoang, Executive Chairman and Gopi Reddy, President & CEO of Amphibian Aerospace Industries added “India is uniquely positioned to lead the next chapter of amphibious aviation, and this collaboration is a decisive step in that direction.”
“With Albatross 2.0, we are bringing fully certified transport-category capability that can immediately serve India’s military & paramilitaries, government, and strategic civil aviation needs. Partnering with Apogee Aerospace allows us to go far beyond aircraft delivery, focusing on deep industrialisation, systems integration, skills development, and long-term sovereign capability.”
“Through this partnership with Apogee Aerospace, our focus is on deep industrial integration, indigenous capability development, and establishing India as a centre for amphibious aviation operations, sustainment, and future growth.”
AAI and Apogee will jointly promote and operationalise the Albatross 2.0 across defence, government, and strategic civil applications in India. The platform’s ability to operate seamlessly from land, water, snow and ice, as well as open-sea conditions with wave heights of up to six to eight feet, positions it uniquely for India’s diverse operational environments.
With a standing cabin height of 188 centimetres, a dedicated luggage compartment, a fully functional washroom, and an equipped galley, Albatross 2.0 is designed as a true transport-category amphibian rather than a niche seaplane solution.
This makes the aircraft highly relevant for India’s vast coastline, island territories, riverine geography, humanitarian response requirements, and joint military operations, while also aligning with national initiatives such as the Sagarmala Programme, coastal economic development, and enhanced maritime domain awareness.
Amphibious aviation is also a natural enabler of the Prime Minister’s long-term vision for strategic island development, including projects in the Great Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Albatross 2.0 supports connectivity, logistics, surveillance, humanitarian assistance, and rapid response across India’s eastern and western seaboards, offering infrastructure-independent reach in both peacetime and crisis scenarios.
Wing Commander MVN Sai (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director of Apogee Aerospace added, “Albatross is a force multiplier like no other before it, as it fundamentally redefines the point of launch and recovery of air power.”
“The versatility of the platform enables operations across dimensions and verticals that previously required a combination of platforms to accomplish. This intervention provides India with strategic insurance to its status as one of the world’s leading economies through the assured maintenance of its Sea Lanes of Communication. We are witnessing the beginning of a new epoch in India’s glorious air power history.”
As part of the strategic collaboration, Apogee Aerospace has placed an order for 15 Albatross 2.0 aircraft, representing an approximate programme value of ₹3,500 crore. Apogee will also invest up to ₹500 crore to establish tail-section manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul facilities, training and simulation infrastructure, and advanced systems integration capabilities in India.
These system integration facilities will support the development and delivery of indigenised military variants of the Albatross platform for the Indian Armed Forces.
In addition, Apogee Aerospace has invested $7 Million dollars (65 crore rupees) into Amphibian Aircraft Holdings, reinforcing long-term strategic alignment and shared execution commitment between the two organisations.
