SINGAPORE- India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has indicated its willingness to review Singapore’s request for an expanded bilateral air service agreement, marking a shift from its previous restrictive stance.
The revision remains contingent on Indian carriers fully utilizing their currently allocated seat capacity under existing agreements.
India Singapore Flights
The potential liberalization would enable increased flight frequencies and broader access to Indian airports for Singaporean carriers, Hindu BusinessLine reported.
Bilateral air service agreements, which govern international air connectivity between two nations, define specific parameters including flight frequencies, seat allocations, and permissible airport destinations.
Post-pandemic travel surge has prompted multiple nations including the UAE, Qatar, Singapore, and Turkey to seek enhanced seat allocations from India.
The government had previously resisted these requests, protecting Indian carriers’ interests, particularly Air India’s (AI) expansion plans following privatization and its significant aircraft orders for direct international routes.
The ministry’s primary concern centered on Gulf carriers potentially diverting US and Europe-bound passengers through their Middle Eastern hubs in Dubai and Doha, impacting Indian airlines’ market share.
Despite the openness toward Singapore’s request, the government maintains its cautious stance regarding similar agreements with Gulf nations.
Enhanced Access to the Indian Market
Singapore Airlines (SQ) and Scoot (TR) have reached their maximum allocated seat capacity on Indian routes, with Indian carriers approaching similar limits.
Scoot’s General Manager for India and West Asia, Brian Torrey, has emphasized the need for expanded airport access alongside increased seat allocations.
The current air service framework, established through a 2013 memorandum of understanding, allows each country 28,700 seats across seven major Indian airports: Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore. Additionally, ASEAN countries, including Singapore, enjoy unlimited seating capacity in 18 Indian destinations.
Singapore’s President Tharman highlighted the potential for expanding air services during his recent India visit, noting fully occupied flights and mutual economic benefits. Singapore Airlines’ acquisition of a 25.1% stake in Air India in November 2024 has strengthened its position in the Indian market.
The timing of this review coincides with the upcoming inauguration of Noida International Airport in mid-April 2025, which requires strong international connectivity for growth.
India has recently modernized its bilateral air service agreements with Indonesia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Thailand. The Indonesia agreement specifically includes expanded airport access, while the UK agreement enhances Delhi and Mumbai connections to London.
Codeshare with Air India
Air India and Singapore Airlines last year (2024) announced a significant expansion of their codeshare agreement, adding 51 new destinations to their joint network. The enhanced partnership includes 11 Indian cities and 40 international destinations, revitalizing their collaboration that began in 2010.
The carriers will implement reciprocal codeshare operations between Singapore and the Indian cities of Bengaluru and Chennai starting October 27, 2024. This expansion will increase their joint weekly services between India and Singapore from 14 to 56 flights.
Singapore Airlines gains broader access to India’s domestic network through Air India’s Delhi hub, connecting to Amritsar, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Lucknow, and Varanasi. The Mumbai hub enhances connectivity to nine additional cities including Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Goa, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Thiruvananthapuram.
The expanded partnership includes a new route linking Kolkata with Guwahati, strengthening regional connectivity in Eastern India. This strategic alliance strengthens both carriers’ presence in their respective markets while offering passengers enhanced travel options between India and Singapore.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
