India has signed Bilateral Air Services Agreements (ASAs) with 116 foreign countries to boost global connectivity, economic growth, and tourism. These agreements allow international flights to operate between India and other nations, making travel easier and more efficient.
In a recent session of the Rajya Sabha, Murlidhar Mohol, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, shared detailed information about these agreements. This was in response to a question by Dr. John Brittas.
Contrary to what some might think, these agreements do not list individual airports as Points of Call (PoC). Instead, they specify entire cities. This means that multiple airports within a designated city can be used for international flights, providing greater flexibility and coverage for airlines.
Designated Cities
The cities included in these agreements are:
- Ahmedabad
- Amritsar
- Aurangabad
- Bagdogra
- Bangalore
- Bhubaneshwar
- Calicut
- Chennai
- Cochin
- Coimbatore
- Dehradun
- Delhi
- Gaya
- Goa
- Gorakhpur
- Guwahati
- Hyderabad
- Jaipur
- Khajuraho
- Kolkata
- Lucknow
- Madurai
- Mumbai
- Nagpur
- Patna
- Port Blair
- Pune
- Thiruvananthapuram
- Tiruchirappalli
- Varanasi
- Vishakhapatnam
Minister Mohol clarified that no Indian state has been designated as a Point of Call in its entirety. The practice in international aviation is to designate specific cities rather than entire states. This ensures better management and operational efficiency.
When asked for copies of relevant documents designating states as PoCs, the Minister confirmed that no such documents exist. This is because the agreements do not designate states, only cities.
By specifying cities instead of states, India aims to streamline international flight operations. This structured approach to global air connectivity supports better management and flexibility, making it easier for airlines to operate and for passengers to travel internationally.
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