Washington: Despite the global economic
downturn, India's aviation sector in particular continues to
grow, a top Obama Administration official on Tuesday said as the
US-India Aviation Partnership Summit started here.
Top officials from the two countries along with
leaders from the private sector in the aviation sector – about
200 in all -- are participating in the two-day summit being
held in Washington to promote advanced technical approached
and collaborations in India's rapidly growing aviation market.
The event encourages a high-level dialogue on key
issues related to air traffic management and control, aviation
security and airspace utilisation throughout India.
Impressed by the growth of India's aviation sector,
the US Trade and Development Agency Director Leocadia I Zak
said annual passenger and commercial flights grew eight to 12
percent over the past several years; new international
airports were inaugurated and there are plans for new domestic
and regional airports, air cargo volumes increase and
helicopter operations grew.
"Perhaps one of the best examples of economic
cooperation and also people to people cooperation is the
US-India Aviation Cooperation Program that was launched at the
First Summit in 2007," Zak said.
Consisting of Indian and US Government officials,
including USTDA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as
well as 29 private sector representatives, the ACP provides a
forum for dialogue and a mechanism by which the members can
highlight specific areas of bilateral technical cooperation,
including training programs, Zak said.
India's Aviation Secretary, Madhavan Nambiar, and
Director of the Federal Aviation Administration, Randy
Babbitt, also spoke on the occasion.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 09, 2009, 00:09