Press Release Overview

On August 7, 2026, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road entered into a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sarla Aviation and Aeromed International Rescue Services. The agreement, announced in Bengaluru on August 31, 2026, seeks to explore and develop next‑generation air‑ambulance services in India using electric vertical take‑off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Partners and Roles

  • Manipal Hospitals will contribute its network of hospitals, clinical expertise, and patient‑care protocols.
  • Sarla Aviation will provide its eVTOL technology, specifically the Shunya eVTOL aircraft, and will work on designing the medical cabin and integrating essential medical equipment.
  • Aeromed International Rescue Services will bring its experience in air‑ambulance operations and medical evacuation to shape operational procedures.

Objectives of the Collaboration

The MoU outlines several concrete objectives: developing a seamless system that transports patients directly from the point of emergency to the appropriate hospital, thereby reducing delays caused by road traffic and long‑distance travel. Specific focus areas include:

  • Designing the aircraft’s medical cabin and integrating life‑support and monitoring equipment into the Shunya eVTOL.
  • Establishing standard patient‑transfer procedures between ground ambulances, the eVTOL aircraft, and hospitals, including protocols for urgent escalation of care.
  • Identifying medical routes where faster aerial transport can make a critical difference, particularly for trauma, heart attacks, strokes, newborns requiring specialised care, and organ transplantation.
  • Implementing training programmes for medical and aviation personnel, creating insurance and safety frameworks, and conducting research into patient outcomes.

Statements from Officials

Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri. Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, emphasized the strategic importance of seamless connectivity from airports to doorsteps, noting that rapid urbanisation and population growth demand new technologies. Dr. H. Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman of Manipal Hospitals, stated that embracing advanced aviation technology aligns with the hospital’s responsibility to make care more accessible, timely, and effective, and that the collaboration aims to create a safe, clinically robust, and scalable model for next‑generation air‑ambulance services in India.

Expected Impact

The partnership is positioned to transform emergency medical transportation by offering an air‑ambulance service capable of bypassing congested roads, potentially reducing response times and improving outcomes for critical patients. The joint effort will also generate a framework for safety, insurance, and training that could be replicated across the country.