India, US to ink accord to strengthen aviation security

India and the US will soon sign an information sharing agreement to strengthen aviation security in both the countries, a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official said today.

"The draft is ready and once it is approved by the Indian authorities and the Cabinet, the governments of India and the US would sign the secret security information sharing agreement," said Anil Srivastava, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, on the sidelines of US-India Aviation Security Workshop here.

The agreement would cover a large spectrum of civil aviation security, he said, adding Transportation Security Authority of the US would be sharing information in areas including individuals, systems, technology and equipments with India.

Earlier, addressing the inaugural session of the workshop, he said security has become a challenge due to technological advancement as undesirable people were finding ways to evade security arrangements.

He said India, in cooperation with global partners, been implementing various cooperation programmes in the field of aviation security.

Henry Steingass, Regional Director for South and Southeast Asia of US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), while addressing the two-day workshop, said, "India and the US share common goals for effective security in both domestic and international aviation arenas."

He said Indian aviation sector continues to hold immense potential for growth.

"India is the founding member of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and like the US, plays a key role in implementing important aviation security provisions regionally and globally," Steingass said.

The workshop, which is part of the US-India Aviation Cooperation programme, would focus on measures to expedite passengers screening and enhance customer service, integration of human security manpower and technology and current and future risk-based security programmes in the US and India.