US offers help to make India a regional aviation hub

The US has offered to work with the Government and private sector to make the country a regional aviation hub.

"The US will work with Indian public and private sector partners to create economic opportunities and jobs in both countries," US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer told the ongoing India Aviation 2010 conference here today.

The US-India Aviation Programme, a public private partnership, will work together with the Director General of Civil Aviation on aviation security, he said. The US is the focus country in the five-day event which is being organised jointly by the Civil Aviation Ministry and industry Ficci, while France is the partner country.

American companies participating in the event are ready to help India modernise and upgrade her airports, improve air traffic flow, the ambassador said.

Roemer urged the American businesses to seize every opportunity that comes across during the event to facilitate greater bilateral cooperation in the aviation sector.

"I would encourage American and Indian business leaders and policymakers to take this opportunity to share ideas on how our countries can work together better," Roemer said.

The US Ambassador Roemer further said he already awarded a grant of Rs 2.4 crore to the DGCA for technical assistance to help expand safe and reliable helicopter services throughout the country.

"Bell helicopter will be lending its expertise to help the Indian helicopter sector grow," he said.

THe US Federal Aviation Administration and Airports Authority of India would work together to share the best practices and strategies to improve airports and make them profitable, Roemer said.

"At the outset, I want to let the US companies here that the US Government and our mission in India stand beside you to embrace the opportunities and tackle the challenges in the Indian aviation sector," the  Ambassador said.

Addressing the inaugural session,French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont said India and France will have a lot to do together in the aviation sector to make India a regional aviation hub.