India, US sign up for an Aviation Cooperation Programme

Washington: India on Friday entered into an agreement with the United States to establish an Aviation Cooperation Programme (ACP) to modernise the sector's infrastructure, and signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect.

The MoU was signed between the visiting Indian civil aviation minister, Praful Patel, and the secretary, US department of transportation, Mary Peters.

Under the programme, the USTDA, the civil aviation ministry, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and public sector entities of both nations will partner with the US industry to identify and support modernisation of India's civil aviation sector.

Issues like infrastructure, safety, enhancing air service quality, operational efficiency, flight security, air-space management and system capacity will be covered under the programme.

While the USTDA would provide the funding for training and technical assistance programmes, the FAA and US aviation companies would facilitate in-kind support, the US agency said in a statement.