Indian Airlines was a state-owned domestic airline of India, headquartered in New Delhi. Established in 1953 through the nationalisation of several private carriers, it operated scheduled passenger services within India and to neighbouring countries in South Asia, the Middle East and South-East Asia for over five decades. In 2007 it was merged with the international flag carrier Air India, with the merged entity initially branded as the National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) and later consolidated under the Air India name.
| Type | State-owned airline (defunct) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New Delhi, India |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Ceased operations | 2007 (merged with Air India) |
| Parent | Government of India |
| Successor | Air India (via NACIL) |
| Key product | Domestic and regional scheduled passenger services |
Following Independence, civil aviation in India was carried out by a number of private airlines. The Air Corporations Act, 1953 nationalised the industry and created two state-owned corporations: Air India International for overseas operations and Indian Airlines Corporation for domestic and regional services. Indian Airlines was formed by amalgamating eight existing carriers, including Deccan Airways, Airways (India), Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Kalinga Airlines, Indian National Airways, Air India (domestic operations) and Air Services of India.
At its peak, Indian Airlines operated one of the largest domestic networks in South Asia, connecting metropolitan cities, state capitals and several smaller towns. International operations were focused on neighbouring countries and the Gulf region, including services to destinations in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Over its history, the fleet included Douglas DC-3 and DC-4, Vickers Viscount, Fokker F27, Hawker Siddeley HS 748, Sud Aviation Caravelle, Boeing 737, Airbus A300, Airbus A320 and Dornier 228 aircraft.
Several incidents shaped the airline's public profile, among them the hijacking of Flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to Delhi in December 1999, which was diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan, and ended after negotiations between the Government of India and the hijackers. The carrier also experienced a number of accidents involving its piston, turboprop and jet fleets over the decades.
For much of the second half of the twentieth century, Indian Airlines was synonymous with civil aviation within India, providing essential connectivity in a country where road and rail journeys between distant cities could take several days. It served as a training ground for a generation of Indian pilots, engineers and cabin crew, and played a role in disaster relief, troop movement during conflicts and the evacuation of Indian nationals from abroad. Its eventual merger with Air India reflected wider changes in Indian aviation following economic liberalisation and the rise of low-cost private carriers.