Categories: AgreementsCurrent Affairs

India, New Zealand Sign MoU To Enhance Cooperation In Civil Aviation

In a significant move aimed at bolstering collaboration in the field of civil aviation, the governments of India and New Zealand have recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU encompasses a wide array of aspects within the aviation sector, ranging from the introduction of new flight routes to code share services, traffic rights, and capacity entitlement.

A Landmark Step for Bilateral Air Services

The MoU’s signing has been heralded as a significant stride forward in the realm of civil aviation between India and New Zealand. This pact holds the potential to further enhance air transport between the two nations, offering a crucial boost to bilateral relations. With the introduction of an open sky policy and the expansion of point of calls, the aviation landscape is set to witness a transformation. This MoU has opened the possibilities of furthering air transport between our two countries.

Freedom in the Skies: Highlights of the MoU

The MoU between India and New Zealand brings to the fore several notable provisions that promise to reshape air services between the two nations.
A pivotal aspect of this MOU involves the broadening of traffic rights bestowed upon the designated airlines from New Zealand.
These airlines are now permitted to operate a multitude of services, utilizing various types of aircraft. This is coupled with the granting of third and fourth freedom traffic rights to and from six prominent points within India: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
This recent development is a result of the 2016 Air Services Agreement signed between the two countries in Auckland. This agreement paved the way for the comprehensive review of existing arrangements pertaining to air services. The MoU can be seen as a logical continuation of this framework, aiming to further refine and enhance cooperation.

Expanding Horizons: Cargo Services and Beyond

The MoU doesn’t just cater to passenger services; it also extends its scope to all-cargo operations. The airlines designated by both India and New Zealand are now authorized to operate a multitude of all-cargo services.
These services can encompass a diverse range of aircraft types, and notably, they come with third, fourth, and fifth freedom traffic rights. This implies that cargo services can operate to and from any points within the territory of either party.
Moreover, these services can traverse through intermediate points and extend to any beyond points, irrespective of the specified points detailed in the Route Schedule.

A Promising Trajectory Ahead

The recent MoU signed between India and New Zealand undoubtedly opens up new horizons in the realm of civil aviation. With provisions encompassing a wide range of areas, from flight routes to traffic rights, both nations are poised to benefit from this enhanced cooperation.