Indian Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that India is not considering an increase in air traffic rights for the United Arab Emirates. In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Scindia revealed that he wants Indian airlines to purchase more wide-body aircraft and operate direct flights to international destinations, adding that India is mobilizing resources to meet the transportation needs of its 1.3 billion population.
The UAE has urged India to increase the maximum number of seats on flights between the two countries by 50,000 seats per week, but Scindia stated, "We are not considering an increase at this stage."
Gulf airlines, supported by highly efficient operational hubs, operate most of the international flights to and from India. India is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, with demand for air travel exceeding the available aircraft capacity. Last month, Air India placed a record order for 470 aircraft.
