While inaugurating a Roundtable Conference on ‘Regional Cooperation: Neighbourhood First- Aviation Infrastructure, Connectivity & Capacity Building’, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Civil Aviation, Housing & Urban Affairs said, “Indian Aviation Industry has been instrumental in the overall economic development of the country. The aviation sector growth in the region has thrown up tremendous opportunity and challenges to India and other countries in the region. India as a State has been working with zeal to create infrastructure in Air Transport and Air Navigation Services. The high-quality airport infrastructure, growing economy and necessary Government support, adds to the potential of India becoming a global aviation hub. India would be keen to offer solutions and support for aviation infrastructure, connectivity and capacity building to its immediate neighbourhood.”
Speaking at the Conference, Pradeep Singh Kharola, Union Civil Aviation Secretary pointed out that Indian aviation sector has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. “It was now in a position to support the regional cooperation operatives from the South Asian and South East Asian countries with rigorous inputs and engagements to upgrade infrastructure, build capacity and develop air connectivity and people to people linkages through technology transfers, capacity creation and sharing of know-how – in the infrastructure, technology and the capacity building fronts,” Kharola said.
The conference was organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in partnership with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) focussed on the opportunities available and the solutions that are on offer for enhancing cooperation in the critical areas like airport infrastructure development; increasing air connectivity; and collaborations for capacity building in the region.
