The pilots of a solar-powered aircraft on an historic round-the-world journey say they want the people of India to support their campaign for clean energy to save the global environment.

Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg spoke to reporters in the western Indian city of Ahmadabad a day after Piccard flew the single-seat plane there from Muscat, Oman.

Piccard said their goal was to spread the message of adopting clean technologies and improving the quality of life of India’s 1.2 billion people.

He said they chose to demonstrate this with a solar-powered aircraft “because this is what captures the imagination of people”.

The fuel-free aircraft, called the Solar Impulse 2, is powered by more than 17,000 solar cells on its wings that recharge the plane’s batteries, enabling it to fly.

The round-the-world trip began on Monday in Abu Dhabi, with Borschberg piloting the first leg of the trip.

Sixteen years ago, I flew around the world non-stop in a balloon and I flew over India. Today, I am very happy to be back

“It was an incredible experience,” he told reporters at a temporary hangar at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport, where the plane remains parked.

Borschberg said he practised yoga to prepare himself for the rigours of flying solo for long hours during the trip.

For the second leg, from Muscat to Ahmedabad, Piccard was at the controls of the aircraft.

He said flying to India was a long-cherished dream.

“Sixteen years ago, I flew around the world non-stop in a balloon and I flew over India.

“Today, I am very happy to be back,” he said.

He said they chose to land in Ahmedabad because some of the material used in the plane was sourced from companies near the city.

Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard (left) and Andre Borschberg after Solar Impulse 2 landed in Ahmedabad, India, yesterday. Photo: Amit Dave/Reuters

During their stay in Ahmedabad, the pilots are scheduled to meet with Indian government officials, environmental groups and students to speak to them about sustainable energy.

On Saturday, if weather conditions are suitable, the plane will fly to the northern Indian city of Varanasi to lend support to efforts to clean up the heavily polluted Ganges River.

The Solar Impulse 2 is slated to make 12 stops during its 35,000-kilometre journey, including in China and Burma, before it crosses over the Pacific Ocean. It will then land in Hawaii and the US Midwest and East Coast before flying over the Atlantic Ocean. It may also stop in southern Europe or North Africa, depending on weather conditions.

Some legs of the trip, such as over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, will mean five days and five nights of flying solo.

The fuel-free aircraft’s flight has excited people across the world who see solar energy as the fuel of the future, providing a source of clean, renewable energy.

One drawback of using the sun’s energy was the high cost of solar electric panels. But in recent years, solar panels have become 70 per cent less expensive and are expected to become cheaper still as newer, more energy-efficient materials are developed.