India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to three new airlines—Shankh Air from Uttar Pradesh, Al Hind Air backed by Kerala-based Alhind Group, and FlyExpress—on December 24-25, 2025, boosting competition in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market. Shankh Air, led by Chairman Sharvan Kumar Vishwakarma, plans to launch operations in Q1 2026 with aircraft under preparation, aiming to expand its fleet to 20-25 planes over the next few years, following a meeting with Minister K Rammohan Naidu who assured full support from the ministry and DGCA. Al Hind Air and FlyExpress, focusing on domestic and regional routes to connect underserved cities, also eye 2026 starts pending final DGCA approvals, enhancing connectivity and job creation while challenging the IndiGo-Air India duopoly amid nine existing scheduled carriers.​