India and New Zealand Join Hands in Civil Aviation Cooperation
In a significant stride towards strengthening bilateral aviation ties, the governments of India and New Zealand have come together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focusing on civil aviation cooperation. The Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a statement yesterday, elucidating the comprehensive scope of the newly forged agreement.
The MoU encompasses a wide array of collaborative endeavors, ranging from the establishment of novel flight routes to the facilitation of code-share services, traffic rights, and capacity entitlements.
This strategic collaboration follows the initial Air Services Agreement inked between New Zealand and India in May 2016. With a shared commitment to fortify their existing aviation relations, both governments have revisited and reinforced their partnership in air services. The two nations have freshly signed an MoU that positions them to facilitate even deeper cooperation in the aviation sector.
As outlined by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, this bilateral agreement represents a momentous leap forward in augmenting aviation ties between India and New Zealand. The pact positions itself to create heightened connectivity, expand route networks, and offer more streamlined travel options for both passengers and cargo. Under the terms of this MoU, airlines designated by New Zealand gain the privilege to operate a diverse range of services deploying various aircraft. They receive third and fourth freedom traffic rights to and from six pivotal destinations in India, which include New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
Similarly, designated Indian airlines have the authority to operate a multitude of services using various aircraft types.
Civil Aviation Cooperation MOU Signed
This collaboration will also yield advantages for passengers in terms of interlinked train and bus services, fostering efficient travel across multiple European countries such as Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Air India’s European gateways, such as Amsterdam, Birmingham, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Milan, and Vienna, will serve as pivotal access points to this expanded network.
Expressing the significance of this development, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, India’s Minister for Civil Aviation, commented, “Today marks an important milestone for civil aviation between India and New Zealand. With the signing of this MoU, new avenues for air transport between our nations have opened up. The open sky policy is now in effect, leading to an increase in points of calls and intermediate points.”
Additionally, the MoU empowers airlines designated by both parties to operate an unlimited number of all-cargo services utilizing any type of aircraft. This includes third, fourth, and fifth freedom traffic rights to and from any points within each other’s territories, via intermediate and beyond points, irrespective of the specifics laid out in the Route Schedule.
The formalization of this agreement took place in the presence of key figures such as Rajiv Bansal, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India, and David Pine, New Zealand’s High Commissioner. The event was also graced with Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, India’s Minister for Civil Aviation, and Damien O’Connor, New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Export Growth, among other dignitaries.
