Ankita Kumar

Ankita has over 18 years of experience and has built one of India’s most active practices at the intersection of defence, aviation, and aerospace.

Her defence practice spans structuring, procurement regulation, technology transfer, and foreign collaboration. In the space sector, Ankita has played a key role in developing a more organised PPP framework. More broadly, her work in aerospace and aviation includes aircraft procurement and financing, MRO structuring, drone operations, and cross-border acquisitions.

Ankita was part of IndiGo’s in-house legal team, where she was involved in negotiating and closing, commercial aviation contracts, aircraft operating and finance leases, high value procurement aerospace contracts and PDP financings.

Relevant Experience:

*Experience listed below is that of the partner before joining the firm

Defence Sector:

Shield AI on its joint venture with JSW Defence for the indigenisation and domestic manufacture of V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicles for the Ministry of Defence, a transaction directly engaging India’s defence industrial policy and local content frameworks.
Ariane Group on commercial arrangements in India, including the regulatory treatment of agents and intermediaries under the Defence Acquisition Procedure.
A major Indian listed precision manufacturing company on its bid in the acquisition of an aerospace manufacturer in China, involving cross-border supply agreements and regulatory and strategic considerations specific to the aerospace manufacturing sector.

Space Sector:

Led the full transaction and documentation for India’s first Earth Observation PPP and advised end-to-end on the NSIL–LVM3 PPP.
Axiom Space Inc. on Indian procurement norms and contractual structuring for its Space Flight Agreement with ISRO.
IN-SPACe on its Technology Adoption Fund Scheme, engaging directly with the transfer of technology frameworks, licensing arrangements, and regulatory architecture that underpin India’s emerging space industrial policy.
ReOrbit Oy on foreign direct investment in the space sector and establishing their India operations.
Nibe Space Private Limited on the structuring and negotiation of satellite purchase agreements.

Aerospace and Aviation sector:

Singapore Airlines on the regulatory aspects of the acquisition of shares in Air India Limited, pursuant to the merger of TATA SIA Airlines Limited (Vistara) into Air India Limited.
American Airlines on all regulatory matters related to their operations in India.
SNV Aviation Private Limited (Akasa Air) in relation to various procurement contracts for aircraft parts and components from multiple vendors.
Air Incheon on commencing scheduled cargo operations in India.
Wing Aviation (An Alphabet Company) in relation to setting up a joint venture for undertaking drone manufacturing and delivery operations in India.
Amazon.com Services in relation to setting up drone delivery operations in India, including obtaining type certification, regulatory approvals and in relation to operational requirements of the DGCA, India.
Dehlivery Private Limited on requirements for FDI in aviation and regulatory processes involved in operating a cargo airline in India undertaking both scheduled and unscheduled flight operations.
Air France in relation to the permissibility of proposed payment systems and structures under extant Indian import and export regulations for their MRO operations.
Boeing on the applicability of the Cape Town
Pawan Hans Limited on the legal and regulatory aspects of procurement of lightweight helicopters and undertook drafting, reviewing and finalising of a request for proposal and purchase agreement.
Airbus S.A.S in relation to the Go First insolvency.
A leading banking company in India participating in a syndication for the finance lease of an Airbus A350 aircraft through IFSC, GIFT City, Gujarat.