Union Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Government of India(GoI) inaugurated the 2nd Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation (APMC) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Delhi from 11th to 12th September, 2024.
- The two-day conference was organised by the MoCA in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The conference was mainly focused on key challenges such as: infrastructure development, sustainability, and workforce development.
- Union Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, MoCA was unanimously elected as the chairman of APMC at the 2nd APMC. He was nominated by Singapore and supported by Bhutan.
- The Draft Asia Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Civil Aviation (Delhi Declaration) was unanimously adopted at the meeting.
Key Participants: Minister of State (MoS) Murlidhar Mohol, MoCA; Salvatore Sciacchitano, President, ICAO; and Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary of MoCA; along with Director Generals (DGs) and distinguished delegates from 29 countries from the Asia-Pacific region, ministers and 8 international organisations, including ICAO participated at the conference.
Note: The 1st APMC was held in Beijing, the capital city of China in 2018.
Key Highlights of the 2nd APMC:
i.While addressing the event, the Union Minister highlighted that the Asia-Pacific region is all set to become the largest aviation market by 2035, with more than 3.5 billion passengers annually.
ii.The ICAO gave the presentation on the establishment of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Liaison Office, aimed to support smaller nations in addressing civil aviation challenges.
iii.A special ceremony was organised to commemorate the 80th anniversary of ICAO and the Chicago convention which highlighted the ICAO’s role in shaping international standards over the last 80 years.
- On 7th December 2024, ICAO will mark the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation in Chicago, the United States of America (USA), popularly known as Chicago Convention, under which ICAO was established.
Delhi Declaration:
On 12th September 2024, The Draft Asia Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Civil Aviation (Delhi Declaration) was unanimously adopted at 2nd APMC in the presence of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi.
- Delhi Declaration is a comprehensive framework which aimed to enhance regional cooperation addressing emerging challenges and boost sustainable growth in the civil aviation sector in the Asia-Pacific region.
- While addressing the conference, PM Modi emphasised to connect all the holy places related to Lord Buddha across Asia and create an ‘International Buddhist Circuit’.
Key Facts about Indian Civil Aviation Sector:
i.Union Minister Rammohan Naidu underscored the rapid advancements made in the civil aviation sector in India as airport infrastructure of India has expanded from 74 operational (in 2014) to 157 (in 2024). He also mentioned that the Government of India (GoI) plans to increase number of airports to 350 to 400 by 2047.
ii.He highlighted the success of Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN), a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), which has opened up 583 new regional routes since its inception in 2016 and has made air travel accessible to underserved and unserved regions.
iii.He also mentioned that how India has incorporated modern technologies like Digi Yatra, a biometric-based digital tool for seamless travel and regulatory advancements in Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, promoting sustainability and innovative urban air mobility.
iv.He emphasized on the GoI’s focus on creating a conducive business environment in aviation, with policies supporting Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services, aircraft leasing, and indigenous manufacturing.
- He highlighted that GoI has introduced new MRO guidelines and has allowed 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through automatic route in aviation sector in India.
v.In terms of Gender Equality in Aviation, women in India constitutes 15% of the country’s pilots, which is 3 times more than the global average.
- GoI aims to increase women’s participation in the aviation workforce to 25% by 2025.
About Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA):
Union Minister- Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu (Constituency- Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh (AP))
Minister of State (MoS)– Murlidhar Kisan Mohol (Constituency- Pune, Maharashtra)
About International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO):
Secretary General- Juan Carlos Salazar Gómez
Headquarters- Montreal, Canada
Established- 1944
