Parliament Question: Expansion of International Flight Connectivity

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3305 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12th March 2026 ) EXPANSION OF INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT CONNECTIVITY 3305. SMT BHARTI PARDHI SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE SHRI RAVINDRA DATTARAM WAIKAR Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) the details of bilateral or multilateral air services agreements concluded or under negotiation to expand international flight connectivity and traffic rights across the country, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra; (b) the details of countries and regions prioritised for enhanced air services, including reciprocal traffic entitlement allocations; (c) the details of expected benefits for India’s tourism, trade, diaspora movement and cargo connectivity arising from such agreements; (d) the role of diplomatic, economic and aviation regulatory channels in finalising and operationalising these frameworks; and (e) whether any evaluation has been conducted to measure commercial impacts, capacity utilisation and strategic gains from new or revised air services pacts, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (e) India currently has Bilateral Air Services Agreements (ASAs) with 116 countries. Negotiations on air services matters, including the enhancement of air capacity entitlements, are a continuous process and are preceded by consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of External Affairs and DGCA. Such negotiations take into account various factors, including benefits to the Indian aviation sector, the presence of the Indiandiaspora in the concerned country, future expansion plans of Indian carriers, principles of reciprocity, balance of benefits between the two countries, and other relevant considerations. In accordance with the ASA, Indian designated carriers are free to mount operations to/from any point in India including points in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to foreign destinations as per mutually agreed capacity limits, while any designated foreign airline can operate to/from a point in India if it is designated as a point of call (PoC) in the ASA with that country. At present, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh are available as PoC for the designated airlines of various countries. New or revised ASAs are aimed at enhancing air connectivity, which in turn supports the growth of trade, tourism, and broader economic engagement between countries. ******