- TAIP was the state airline of Portuguese India, operating from 1955 to 1961
- TAIP was created to bypass Indian blockades and maintain air links with territories
- Airport facilities in Goa, Daman, and Diu were developed for large aircraft operations
While India gained independence from British rule on August 15, 1947, several territories on the Indian subcontinent remained under foreign colonial rule for another 14 years, most notably under the Portuguese. The Portuguese established a colony in Goa in 1510 and expanded it to its present boundaries during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Portuguese India, which comprised Goa, Daman and Diu, even had its own state airline called TAIP - Transportes Aereos da India Portuguesa (Air Transport of Portuguese India). This public company, linked to the General Government of Portuguese India, operated from 1955 to 1961.
Objective Behind The Air Transport Of Portuguese India
The primary objective behind the creation of TAIP was to counter the blockade imposed by India on Portugal's territories adjoining the country, as part of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's efforts to annex them.
The creation of TAIP was accompanied by the development of airport facilities in Goa, Daman, and Diu to allow the operation of large aircraft. This enabled air links with these territories without the use of Indian infrastructure.
A viral Instagram post has shared pictures of Air Transport of Portuguese India, including airline tickets, cabin designs, pilots at work, and air hostesses dressed in white sarees, among others.
See all pictures below:
Evacuation Of Civilians From Goa To Karachi Via The Airline
Goa was annexed by India on December 19, 1961. Just before the annexation, TAIP was used to evacuate civilians from Goa to Karachi. On the day of the invasion, December 18, 1961, only one of TAIP's DC-4 aircraft was at Dabolim Airport. It escaped the bombing of the installation, along with an aircraft belonging to TAP Portugal.
That night, the runway was repaired, allowing two planes to take off for Karachi, from where they later flew to Lisbon. With this, TAIP's operations came to an end.
Goa and two other former Portuguese enclaves became the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu, with Goa organised as a single district in 1965. On May 30, 1987, Goa attained statehood, while Daman and Diu continued as a separate Union Territory.
