June 14 Agreements Enhances Frequency, Continues Over-Fly

In an update to the 2006 aviation pact between India and Russia, last week's talks allow India unrestricted use of Russia's airspace for Indian flights to Europe, while Moscow will be permitted to increase the frequency of its flights to Indian cities.

Talks that led to the June 14 agreement, reported The Hindu newspaper, were called last month after a dispute over flight rights had both countries trading threats of banning airspace use for each other.

The negotiators - Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, R.K. Singh, and Russian Chief Negotiator, Department of State Policy in Civil Aviation, G. Loschenov - "expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the discussions," according to the Indian Embassy.

"A mutually beneficial agreement was reached, under which the designated airlines of the two countries will continue to be permitted to over-fly the territory of the other country without restrictions," the Indian Embassy said Friday. "Capacity entitlements were increased from 46 to 52 weekly frequencies for both sides."

"The increase in flights will be to the cities of Ahmedabad and Amritsar, each of which will get three additional flights from Russia," the official said, a day after the two sides renegotiated their bilateral agreement.

The increased flight frequency benefits Russia, as no Indian carrier operates any flights to that country; Air India scrapped its once-weekly Moscow-Delhi route several years ago after entering into a code-sharing agreement with Aeroflot.

The leaders of both delegations expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the discussions and re-affirmed the need to hold frequent meetings to further strengthen the civil aviation relationship between India and Russia, reported the Indian government.

FMI: http://civilaviation.nic.in, www.mak.ru/english/english.html