Regarded by clients as a ‘top-tier law firm for aviation finance and leasing in India’, AZB & Partners remains a key reference in the market, offering assistance across the full gamut of aviation mandates, including acquisitions, financings, and lease restructurings, as well as sale and leaseback arrangements, commercial contracts, and regulatory issues. The practice has considerable experience acting in high-profile and high-value matters which, alongside its cross-border capabilities, has amassed an impressive and expanding client roster consisting of notable names from the aviation, banking, and financial services sectors. At the helm of the department is Anand Shah, who stands out for his breadth of expertise spanning aircraft and engine transfers, aircraft deregistration and repossession, and operating and finance leasing, alongside M&A, commercial leasing, and regulatory advice. The practice also benefits from the aptitude of Sarah Rufus, who regularly handles purchase and maintenance agreements, aviation disputes, and OEM settlement agreements. On the restructuring and insolvency front, Hufriz Wadia and Rishiraj Baruah are key members of the team.

Trilegal’s aviation and aerospace practice, relied on by clients for ‘its deep specialisation in aviation regulatory and commercial matters, offering tailored, responsive legal support to international airlines operating in India,’ maintains a strong position in the Indian market, drawing on its longstanding track record for handling complex, high-value and high-profile mandates, both domestically and multi-jurisdictionally. The team boasts a wealth of experience advising on disputes, regulatory compliance, and corporate transactions, ranging from sales and leasing to M&A, all of which continue to attract new and impressive clients from the aviation, banking, and financial services sectors. Delano Furtado is a key member of the department, specialising in M&A, joint ventures, restructurings, and disposals. On the disputes front, Milanka Chaudhury is the name to note and routinely represents clients in aviation-related litigation and arbitration proceedings before judicial and regulatory bodies. Ashish Bhan is another disputes specialist in the team, and he is adept at leading on insolvency matters and resolution processes in particular. Noted for demonstrating ‘a rare combination of technical legal acumen and operational awareness,’ Aabhishek Dubey is a transactional authority in the group and concentrates on M&A, private equity and venture capital deals, and joint ventures.

Kochhar & Co. has a comprehensive aviation offering which spans disputes, regulatory mandates, and a variety of corporate transactions such as M&A, fundraisings, and financing. With expertise spanning the full range of aviation matters, the team continues to grow its client roster, which is made up of impressive names from the aviation, financial services, and defence, including British Airways and Lockheed Martin Corporation. Jointly leading the practice, Rohit Kochhar and Suhas Srinivasiah both bring a wealth of experience to the department. They are ably supported by disputes and regulatory specialists R. Ravichandran and Mayur Shetty, who regularly represent clients before judicial and regulatory bodies such as the SIAC and LCIA. On the restructuring and insolvency side, Sharmil Bhushan is the name to note, while in the project-related litigation arena, Manish Dembla is a recognised authority. Other key practitioners in the group include Vaibhav Joshi and Nishant Arora.

The aviation practice at Dentons Link Legal has a robust offering which encompasses leasing and financing, regulatory compliance, and disputes, as well as procurement, commercial contracts, and restructuring and insolvency. With wide-ranging capabilities, the group is sought after by airlines, MROs, and manufacturers, alongside brokers and agents, financiers, and handling agencies to assist with high-profile, multi-jurisdictional mandates. Atul Sharma co-heads the department alongside Anand Srivastava; the former stands out for his expertise in aviation disputes and project advisory, while Srivastava is a key contact for complex transactions, including M&A, aircraft leasing, and financing. On the cross-border front, Abhishek Sharma is a notable name with vast experience advising on aviation disputes, insolvency proceedings, and competition issues. Other indispensable practitioners include development and investment projects specialist Milind Jha, M&A, restructuring and insolvency, and corporate finance expert Namita Das, and dispute resolution authority Sanjay Gupta.

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co is well-equipped to handle the full gamut of aviation mandates, including mergers and sales, regulatory issues, and compliance-related mandates, as well as corporate agreements, restructuring and insolvency, and leasing and financing arrangements. The team boasts extensive experience advising on high-value and high-profile matters both domestically and internationally which, together with its breadth of capabilities, have amassed an impressive and expanding client roster, comprised of notable airlines, financial services, and defence businesses. Jatin Aneja heads up the department and specialises in project financing, consortium agreements, and joint ventures, among other corporate transactions arising within the aviation sector. The practice also benefits from the aptitude of Ankita Kumar, whose scope spans projects, M&A, and international procurement projects, as well as financing and leasing, joint ventures, and regulatory issues. At the associate level, standout names include Aditya Mitra, Pooja Ravikrishnan, and Tanya Srivastava.

With transactional, disputes, and regulatory capabilities, DMD Advocates is relied upon by notable aviation, banking, and financial services businesses seeking assistance with high-value, multi-jurisdictional mandates. The group has particular expertise advising on acquisitions, financing and leasing, and reassessment proceedings, and its strengths also span litigation, commercial agreements, and procurement, as well as repossessions, sales, and aircraft registrations and deregistrations. Vihang Virkar co-heads the practice alongside Ayesha Rai. Virkar stands out for his breadth of corporate and commercial experience which encompasses M&A, private equity transactions, and joint ventures, alongside restructuring, regulatory compliance, and contractual matters. Rai specialises in financing and regularly advises lessors, financiers, and commercial airlines on sale and leaseback arrangements, investments, and operating and finance leasing. She is also adept at handling aircraft, helicopter, and engine leasing, regulatory issues, and related labour and employment cases.

Representing the full spectrum of the aviation industry, from airlines and aircraft lessors to duty free operators and ground handling, HSA Advocates remains an active player in the Indian market. The group is highly sought after for its robust offering, which encompasses transactional, regulatory, dispute resolution, and tax matters including commercial agreements, public procurement, and bidding processes. Founding partner Hemant Sahai, who co-leads the practice alongside Amrita Narayan and Monali Dutta, ‘stands out’ for his expertise advising on project development, regulatory disputes, and financing. Narayan is the main contact in the team for dispute resolution, specialising in litigation concerning airport tariff appeals, ground handling services, and cargo handling services. She has considerable experience acting before various judicial bodies including the Supreme Court and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal, while Dutta concentrates on regulatory compliance, M&A, and corporate restructurings.

Spice Route Legal's aviation department, praised by clients for its ‘domain fluency, client-centric agility, and integrated innovation,’ is well-equipped to handle transactional, regulatory, and compliance mandates, both domestically and internationally. With considerable experience advising on high-profile and high-value matters, the group has amassed a growing client roster which consists of notable aviation, technology, and tourism businesses seeking assistance with restructurings, regulatory advice, and in-flight services transactions. At the helm of the department is Aadya Misra, who specialises in commercial contracts, flight safety, and operational agreements, as well as ground handling and ground support agreements, joint ventures, and cybersecurity issues. She is supported by regulatory expert Ankita Hariramani, financial services authority Soumitra Ponkshe, and Ada Shaharbanu, who focuses on aviation technology.

Wadia Ghandy & Co, praised by clients for its ‘excellent reputation in the Indian aviation law market,’ is well-versed in aircraft leasing and financing, disputes, and repossessions, as well as regulatory compliance. The team’s scope, alongside its experience advising on high-value transactions, both domestically and cross-border, has amassed a strong client roster which consists of lessors, financiers, and commercial airlines, alongside aircraft owners and spare parts suppliers. At the helm of the department is the ‘reliable and trusted’ Marylou Bilawala, a noted expert in leasing and financing, as well as repossessions. She is supported by aircraft purchase and sale specialist Dhruv Khanna, who stands out for his transactional prowess. The practice also benefits from the aptitude of dispute resolution authority Sharleen Lobo, who regularly represents airlines, insurers, and reinsurers on contentious mandates concerning liability issues.

Chandhiok & Mahajan, Advocates and Solicitors is a solid choice for aviation, technology, and financial services businesses seeking assistance with aircraft leasing, transaction structuring, and entity establishments. With a wealth of experience and cross-border capabilities, the group continues to grow its client roster. Standing out for her aptitude for restructuring and insolvency in the aviation sector, Pooja Mahajan co-leads the practice alongside Lovejeet Singh, who is noted for his breadth of expertise spanning aviation financing and leasing, aircraft acquisitions and sales, and commercial agreements. At the associate level, Abhay Goyal, who joined from Dentons Link Legal in December 2024, is a key member of the department.

The aviation group at Gagrats is well-equipped to handle a range of transactional, litigious, and regulatory matters, both domestic and cross-border, including financing and leasing, restructuring, and investments, as well as M&A, commercial agreements, and deregistration and repossession. The team is also adept at advising commercial airlines, lessors, and aviation authorities on related tax and employment mandates arising from new operation establishments in India, the hiring of personnel, and tax avoidance and deductions. Rustam Gagrat and Uma Nagarajan jointly spearhead the department, and both specialise in air transport operations, multi-jurisdictional leasing, and aircraft financing, alongside regulatory issues. For sale and leaseback arrangements, Arpana Dhariwal is the main contact in the team.

Noted for its ‘rich experience’ in handling various aviation mandates, Rayasa Law Partners is sought after by commercial airlines, aircraft charter brokers, and defence companies to assist with complex, multi-jurisdictional investments, procurements, and licensing matters, as well as technology transfers, contractual arrangements, and leasing and financing. The practice is co-led by Subodh Sadana, Sangeet Rai, Neha Yadav, and Poonam Sadana; S. Sadana is adept at advising on M&A, joint ventures, and the setting up of operations in India, while Rai specialises in disputes, acquisitions, and commercial contracts. Yadav stands out for her aptitude in exits and regulatory compliance, and P. Sadana is a key contact for investments, foreign exchange compliance, and the export and import of defence products.

Recognised by clients for its ‘outstanding legal expertise, professionalism, and a deep commitment to client service,’ the aviation law group at Tuli & Co is highly capable of handling both contentious and non-contentious mandates at domestic and cross-border levels. On the contentious front, the practice is adept at handling repossession, recovery and enforcement proceedings, while on the non-contentious side, the team has extensive experience advising on lease, sale and purchase, and sale leaseback agreements. Saket Satapathy heads up the department and specialises in insurance and commercial disputes, regularly representing clients before various judicial bodies and tribunals. The group also benefits from the aptitude of repossession litigation authority Anubhav Dutta, contractual disputes expert Nimisha Shukla, and Ishita Thakur, who focuses on disputes arising from lease agreements.