New Delhi [India], April 20 : The aviation summit for the EU and India began in the national capital on Thursday with the aim of working under the EU-India Strategic Partnership and stronger aviation ties.
Aviation enables economic growth, jobs and connectivity, thereby contributing to social and economic cohesion and intercultural understanding. In parallel, there are strong calls for the aviation sector to reduce its environmental footprint and step up the global fight against climate change.
In his opening speech at the Summit, Sweden's minister for infrastructure and housing, Andreas Carlson, said, "We are celebrating 75 years of bilateral relation with India and India is world's largest and fastest air transport country", lauding the ties between the nations.
After testing positive for Covid, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia participated virtually at the meeting. He said in his video message, "I want to come personally to the summit having tested Covid positive for the third time. India ranks EU countries high in aviation relations."
Addressing the EU-India Aviation Summit, Scindia said, "India and the European Union (EU) have shared strong historical relations which continue to grow today on the back of robust physical, digital and people-to-people connectivity, aided by the aviation industry", stated a press release by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
He said the Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken several measures to promote aircraft manufacturing in the country, informed the release. He said they have reformed the regulatory environment to make it as conducive as possible for MROs.
Scindia said, "We have reformed the regulatory environment to make it as conducive as possible for MROs - reduced GST rates on MRO services from 18 per cent to 5 per cent and allowed 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment into the sector." He stated that new MRO guidelines have been introduced for rationalisation of the charges leviable on MRO Service providers for ease of doing business.
European Union Commissioner Adina Valean praised the Union government for the way India has opened aviation sectors for private players.
"European Union, liberalization has been one of the main growth drivers. In the 1990s, the Indian government opened up the aviation industry to private players, allowing new airlines to enter the market, which had the effect of stimulating competition, raising the quality of service, and transforming air travel from a luxury good to an affordable means of transport," she said.
"Covid hit us all badly, in particular international aviation. But growth is definitely back now. And while this is excellent news, it is also not without challenges: from increasingly congested airports and skies, to managing the environmental and climate impacts of this growth, as well as the safety challenges of integrating new types of air traffic into our skies with the emerging drone market," she added.
Aviation is of strategic importance for both the European Union and India, which work under the EU-India Strategic Partnership and have strong aviation ties.
Aviation is an enabler of economic development, jobs and connectivity, thereby contributing to social and economic cohesion and intercultural understanding.
Scindia ended his speech with a famous quote from famous American industrialist Henry Ford, saying, "Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success."
During the summit, a declaration of intent was signed between the Airport Authority of India and Eurocontrol.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and European Union Aviation Safety for closer cooperation, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a press release.
The summit focuses on EU-India air transport relations and the mutually shared challenges and opportunities of the two regions, including the post-Covid recovery of air traffic, increasing sustainability, maintaining safety and the development of unmanned aircraft systems.
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