Delhi to negotiate bilateral air service pacts at ICAO meet

Mumbai: The upcoming meet of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Mumbai later this month could result in India de-freezing a self-imposed moratorium on striking bilateral agreements in the aviation sector with other nations. Delhi had imposed the moratorium last year.

Incidentally, India will be hosting an ICAO meet for the first time.

According to sources, at least 40 countries are lining up to negotiate bilateral agreements with India's ministry of civil aviation. The meet, scheduled for the period 17-22 October, will have 60 nations in attendance.

Aviation ministry official sources said India already has bilaterals in place with many of the 40 nations, some of which are interested in securing extensions to the agreements.

Officials indicated that India will use the opportunity to modernize air service agreements, or ASAs, in the backdrop of changing security and safety procedures.

India froze bilateral arrangements for additional routes and seats in 2010 after the blame for the dismal financial performance of state-run Air India was put on these liberal agreements with foreign airlines in the period between January 2004 and March 2010.