Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said the efforts are on to trace Indian Air Force, AN-32 aircraft and service personnel on board.
While IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from Port Blair.
Four ships of Eastern Naval Command which were deployed in the Bay of Bengal on different missions, have been diverted to the search area and eight ships of Eastern Fleet, which are on return passage from the South China Sea are also proceeding at best speed to join the search operations.
A submarine at sea is also diverted to the area for locating the transmissions from emergency locator beacon onboard the aircraft. Defence Ministry said, more assets are being dispatched shortly.
The aircraft with 29 people on board went missing while flying from Chennai to Port Blair this morning. Eleven Air Force personnel, two from Army, nine from Navy, one from Cost Guard and six member crew were on board.