NEW DELHI — India has decided to use its Russian-made Mi-17 V-5 helicopters to transport important political leaders during the ensuing election campaigns, after authorities truncated an order for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 VIP transport helos over alleged corruption charges.

India has lifted a ban on Airbus A380s from flying into the country, a move that will permit international airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines to start its flights to the world’s second most-populous country. “Now, flights of [the] A380 to India will be allowed to airports which are equipped to handle them. At present only 4 airports—Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore have the required infrastructure for operations of the world’s largest passenger aircraft,” Ministry of Civil Aviation says.

NEW DELHI — India plans the first test launch of its newly developed interceptor missile sometime in the next six months from a defense base off its eastern coast. The Prithvi Defense Vehicle (PDV) will be able to intercept rival missiles to a range of 1,553 mi. and an altitude of 93 mi., an official at India’s Defense and Development Research Organization (DRDO) tells Aviation Week.