By Ameya Joshi
The “Look East” policy was launched in 1991 by the government of India. Successive governments have had the “Look East” policy, irrespective of the party in power and with each government, the focus has only grown sharper. With the 2nd India – APAC Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation, India has taken the focus at an all-new level. Granular to aviation but with a wider area of Asia Pacific. The two-day conference concluded with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration. The conference saw participation from 29 countries and 8 international organizations.
India’s aviation sector has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years, driven by factors such as rising disposable incomes, a growing middle class, and increased tourism. The country’s vast geographical expanse and diverse population have also contributed to the demand for air travel. The government has played a crucial role in supporting this growth through infrastructure development, regulatory reforms, and initiatives to promote regional connectivity. India’s international traffic is now driven by Indians going abroad rather than Foreign Tourist Arrivals, something which remains a strong point for civil aviation and airlines but a point of worry for the Hotel industry.
India – A Regional Magnet
Over the last decade or so, India has grown tremendously in terms of Air traffic and connectivity – both within and outside the country. Engaging discussions, focus on shaping the future of aviation in the region and bilateral meetings on the sidelines characterized the two-day conference.
This comes amidst air traffic at an all-time high with both domestic and international traffic numbers having crossed pre-COVID levels and at a rate that is faster than many nations and also faster than the prediction of IATA – the industry body.
Civil Aviation is a soft power that helps in the time of need and necessity like a natural calamity or a disaster. From being the regional hub for medical tourism with Delhi attracting patients from Central Asia, Chennai attracting patients from Bangladesh and Bengaluru from Africa to trade connects being established in Delhi and helping neighbours export faster due to capacity issues at airports in Kathmandu or Dhaka, Indian civil aviation has been resilient and innovative in more ways than one.
Time To Take The Lead
More often than not, China is looked at as the manufacturing powerhouse with its own aircraft and assembly lines of Airbus, while Singapore is looked at as a hub and financial town. India with its vast human power, research capability and growth has to take the lead in various new-age initiatives, and we are slowly stepping in that direction. From planning for air taxis to green fuel, the new-age aviation theme can be driven and led by India.
India already is a leader in many aspects, starting with 15% of the pilots being women against a global average of 5%. The future of aviation is green. With investments in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at the refinery in Hisar near Delhi and plans to offer SAF from airports in the Delhi region to regulations for the safe use of air taxis which is the future, India has the ability to take a lead and create benchmarks for the world to follow.
More Integration Needed
International aviation is driven by Bilateral Air Services agreements (BASA) which cap either the number of services or seats or both in some cases. The air services agreement is often a tool of bilateral negotiations under the larger ambit of foreign policy and trade than just aviation. For more people-to-people connectivity, the focus should be on opening up smaller places and international tourism circuits like a Buddhist circuit where flights are over and above the bilateral rights.
This will not only help the economy but will also drive religious tourism and open up places where passengers can travel with ease as compared to current long journeys. This will help more people visit new destinations.
The integration has to move beyond people-to-people connect with reforms needed with the regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) where it can be a regulator at par with that of FAA or EASA and directives which are taken note of in the region. Additionally, after regulating a market and clearing international audits, the team has to develop skills and expertise to help smaller nations establish regulatory frameworks and scale up.
Tail Note
India’s hosting of the second India – APAC Ministerial Conference showcased its growing stature as a global aviation leader. The summit provided an opportunity for India to share its experiences and best practices with other countries in the region. It also demonstrated India’s commitment to promoting sustainable and inclusive aviation development.
As the Asia Pacific region continues to grow and develop, the aviation industry will play an increasingly important role in connecting people, businesses, and cultures and the conference was a significant step forward in addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the industry and positioning India as a key player in its future.
Ameya Joshi is an aviation analyst and columnist who runs the analysis website Network Thoughts.