Sarla Aviation has clarified that IndiGo Ventures has made a minority investment in the company, but said the airline has no involvement in its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) programmes.
“Sarla Aviation confirms that IndiGo Ventures has made a minority investment in us. However, we are withdrawing our public communication, made earlier in this regard, and regret the confusion it has caused, and we would also like to clarify that IndiGo has no involvement in Sarla Aviation’s eVTOL initiatives,” a company spokesperson said.
The statement follows earlier communication that suggested a deeper strategic alignment, where IndiGo Ventures would invest ₹10 crore in the company developing electric flying taxis. The company had earlier said the investment would support the development of electric flying taxis and help build an “OEM-operator ecosystem” for urban air mobility.
The clarification narrows the scope of the relationship between the Bengaluru-based startup and IndiGo, positioning the deal as a narrow financial investment rather than an operational or technological partnership.
The latest statement signals that Sarla’s aircraft development, manufacturing, and eVTOL roadmap will proceed independently of the airline’s operational ecosystem.
Sarla Aviation last raised $10 million in January last year in a round led by Accel, with participation from investors including Binny Bansal, Nikhil Kamath, and Sriharsha Majety.
Founded in 2023 by Adrian Schmidt, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Shivam Chauhan, Sarla Aviation is developing the Shunya eVTOL aircraft for urban use. The aircraft is designed to carry up to 680 kilograms and seat six passengers, excluding the pilot. Sarla Aviation has raised $13.4 million across five funding rounds to date.
The company plans to use existing helipads at hotels, hospitals, and tech parks for operations. It aims to launch services in Bengaluru by 2028. Previously, it announced an investment of ₹1,300 crore to set up a 500-acre aerospace manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh.
[Disclaimer: The copy has been comprehensively updated to reflect Sarla Aviation’s clarification on the investment from IndiGo Ventures.]
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