India has so far signed and initiated Air Services Agreement with 114 countries and latest one was with Rwanda, signed on 20th February 2017 at Kigali, informed Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The Air Services Agreements between India and other countries have the potential to spur greater trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchange and help rejunevate the civil aviation sector, he said.
The agreements enable an environment for enhanced and seamless connectivity, while providing commercial opportunities to the carriers of both the sides ensuring greater safety and security.
The same was discussed when the Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mr. Hikmat Karzai visited India on Wednesday on the sidelines of the International Counter Terrorism Conference. Both sides discussed among others Air corridor for trade between Afghanistan and India.
Usually the Air Services agreements provide for both countries to designate one or more airlines with the right to establish offices in the territory of the other country for the promotion end sale of air services.
The designated airlines will have fair and equal opportunity to operate the agreed services on specified routes and they can enter into cooperative marketing arrangements with the designated carriers of same party, other party and third country.