Expanded Canada-India Air Transport Agreement to allow unlimited flights between both countries

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra (2nd from right) and Apoorva Srivastava, Consul General of India in Toronto (3rd from right). Photo: Twitter

FEDERAL Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, on Monday announced the recent conclusion of an expanded air transport agreement between Canada and India. The expanded agreement allows designated airlines to operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The previous agreement limited each country to 35 flights per week.

This significant move will allow airlines of Canada and India to better respond to the needs of the Canada-India air transport market. Going forward, officials of both countries will remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the agreement.

The new rights under the expanded agreement are available for use by airlines immediately.

Alghabra said: “The expanded air transport agreement between Canada and India is a positive development for air transport relations between our countries. We are pleased to expand this relationship with additional flexibility for airlines to serve this growing market. By making the movement of goods and people faster and easier, this expanded agreement will continue to facilitate trade and investment between Canada and India and help our businesses grow and succeed.”

Mary Ng, federal Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, said: “The Canada-India economic relationship is built on deep-rooted people to people ties. With this expanded air transport agreement, we are facilitating even more exchanges of professionals, students, business people, and investors. As we strengthen our trade and investment relationship with India, we will continue building bridges like this that enable our entrepreneurs, workers, and businesses to access new opportunities.”

 

Quick Facts:

  • India is Canada’s 4th largest international air transport market.
  • Canada’s first air transport agreement with India was concluded in 1982, and was last expanded in 2011. This new agreement was reached under Canada’s Blue Sky policy, which encourages long-term, sustainable competition and the development of international air services.
  • The agreement gives Canadian air carriers access to Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, and Indian air carriers access to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India.
  • Other cities in both countries can be served indirectly through code-share services.
  • Rights for all-cargo services are already unrestricted.