India outlines areas of aviation cooperation with EU

New Delhi, Nov 23 (UNI) A day after India and the European Union (EU) signed the framework on cooperation in various fields of air transport sector, civil aviation minister Praful Patel outlined the specific areas: non-scheduled flight operations (charters), cargo, helicopter and seaplane services.

He said the country will welcome foreign direct investment in these areas and adopt the best industry practices to fuel growth.

''We want to see the change rapidly. We're looking for a big jump ahead,'' he said while addressing the EU-India Aviation Summit here.

India and the EU had yesterday signed the joint declaration for closer cooperation in a range -- from infrastructure needs to safety and security policies and technical assistance.

The framework, signed by Mr Patel and visiting EU vice-president Jacques Barrot also aims at synergising the regulatory frameworks in India and EU, negotiating of air traffic rights and certification of products and services.

Besides, the two sides would also work together on training of pilots and engineers.

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