A new report has revealed how opening up flights between India and the UAE could slash fares, create jobs, and unlock over $1 billion in savings, but red tape is keeping passengers grounded.

The study, ‘Combined Skies: Unlocking the Benefits of UAE-India Aviation Liberalisation for Indian Travellers’, breaks down the huge economic benefits of expanding air services. Part of a broader investigation into a possible overhaul of UAE-India flight agreements, the report examines how tourism, trade, job creation, and even regulatory hurdles could be transformed by liberalisation. But with flights already packed, will authorities act before it’s too late?

Flights At Breaking Point!

India’s aviation market is soaring, set to double by 2030. UAE-India flights carried 19 million passengers in 2023, 30% of India’s total international traffic. Yet strict government limits on air services are choking growth, keeping flights expensive and hard to book.

Big Money, Bigger Roadblocks

The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner, with trade soaring to $84 billion last year. More flights mean faster business trips, smoother cargo movement, and stronger economic ties. But without urgent action, both nations risk losing out on billions in trade and investment.

Tourism Nightmare?

UAE travellers flock to India for medical treatments, business, and holidays, but tight flight caps make trips more expensive and less frequent. Expanding air routes could supercharge tourism and create thousands of jobs in airports, airlines, and hospitality.

Passengers Could Save Big

More flights = cheaper tickets. A modest 5% annual increase in seat capacity could save Indian travellers $152 million by 2028. But go big, double capacity over five years, and that jumps to a jaw-dropping $1.05 billion.

Who Gets Cheaper Flights?

Not all routes will see huge price drops. Delhi–Dubai and Mumbai–Dubai are maxed out—more flights won’t slash fares much. But for smaller Indian cities, adding flights could send ticket prices tumbling and unleash massive demand.

India and the UAE are sitting on an aviation jackpot, but they need to act now before the opportunity flies away.

(Source: www.orfonline.org)

In a move to further deepen cultural relations between the UAE and India, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi,  Minister of State, co-chaired a high-level delegation meeting with K. Nandini Singla, Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

A key highlight of the meeting was the discussion on establishing ‘India House’ in the UAE, a proposed cultural hub aimed at showcasing India’s rich artistic and cultural heritage globally.

Noura Al Kaabi emphasised that the meeting symbolized the shared commitment of both nations to expanding cultural exchanges and fostering collaboration across creative communities.

Key Topics Discussed

• India-UAE Cultural Council: Discussions centred on its operationalisation and strategies to enhance people-to-people connections.
• Collaboration Across Key Sectors: Both sides explored arts, education, creative industries, heritage conservation, and youth engagement.
• India House in the UAE: A proposed cultural hub to celebrate India’s artistic and cultural heritage.
• Support for Creative Start-ups & Business Collaborations: Plans were discussed to foster B2B partnerships and set up thematic sub-committees to oversee cooperation in priority areas.

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The discussions align with the vision set by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ensuring that the UAE-India partnership continues to flourish through actionable cultural initiatives.

The UAE delegation included Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture; Ghanem Al Hajeri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports; Abdulnasser Alshaali, UAE Ambassador to India; and Abdelrahman Al Maeeni, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy.

(Source: Wam)

In a scandal straight out of a spy thriller, three unsuspecting students bound for Dubai have been caught red-handed with over $400,000 (Dh1.47 billion) stuffed into notebooks at Pune airport. The discovery unfolded on February 17, when customs officials intercepted the trio — who claim they had no idea what was in store for them.

The plot thickened when it emerged that the students had received two mysterious bags from Pune-based travel agent Khushbu Agarwal, 41. She allegedly passed off the bags, claiming they contained urgent office documents for her Dubai operation. But what the students didn’t know was that hidden between the pages were stacks of foreign currency which had been meticulously concealed in a bold smuggling attempt.

Acting on a tip-off amid an investigation into a suspected hawala racket, Pune Customs unearthed the shocking secret. Indian authorities, in collaboration with officials in Dubai, quickly sent the students back to India — only to have them intercepted at the airport, where the currency stash was discovered.

The ensuing inquiry led to the dramatic detention of Agarwal, who confessed to owning the seized money during the interrogation. 

Further questioning resulted in the arrest of Mumbai-based forex trader Mohammed Aamir, the alleged supplier of the illicit funds. A subsequent raid on a forex firm in Mumbai uncovered even more foreign currencies from various countries.

Customs and Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officers have since raided 10 locations across Pune, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, tightening the noose around those involved. Both Agarwal and Aamir have now been placed in judicial custody, as the authorities continue to unravel the currency smuggling case.

(Source: PTI, HT)