Ai Services To Gulf Being Upgraded
The minister said he will hold talks in this regard with top officials of the two airlines as well as their general sales agents in this region. "We want to strengthen our services in this sector," he told reporters here.
Ibrahim, who arrived here on Thursday, was accompanied by senior officials of his ministry.
He said he had already held one round of discussions on the two airlines' operations to the Gulf in Delhi.
"Our talks here will be a follow-up of that meeting," he said.
"Both airlines are popular in this region. Our main income is from this sector. We want to increase our business here," the minister said.
Ibrahim ruled out the possibility of opening India's domestic sector to foreign airlines. "No country allows this," he said, in response to a question.
He said foreign companies were welcome to invest in infrastructure projects. "They can build airports, power stations and other projects in the core sector."
Ibrahim said the various court cases against former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao will have no impact on the United Front government headed by H D Deve Gowda.
About the recent attack on journalists in New Delhi by Bahujan Samaj Party leader Kanshi Ram, Ibrahim said: "The law will take its own course. The incident should not have happened."
The minister said India wanted to strengthen its relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in all spheres.
He praised the efforts by India's national carriers and the Indian community in the United Arab Emirates to repatriate the nearly 60,000 Indians who had to leave this country in the past four months under an amnesty for illegal immigrants.
"The UAE is only implementing its laws. Our people can come back with valid documents," he said. Ibrahim said Indian workers were rega-rded highly in the UAE. "We should build on this goodwill."
He said his meetingz with UAE officials and with the Indians here will focus on ways of strengthening the ties between the two countries. The minister was to be the chief guest at the 'Rajyotsava' celebrations organised by the Karnataka Sangha here yesterday to mark the foundation of Karnataka.
Entry of foreign media ruled out
Press Trust of India DUBAI
Minister for information & broadcasting and civil aviation C M Ibrahim has ruled out entry of foreign media into India and indicated that some curbs were likely in the near future for certain satellite channels. Ibrahim said information and broadcasting will not be thrown open to foreign competition.
"This is to safeguard the sovereignty and integrity of the country," he told reporters here on Thursday.
He said a comprehensive Prasar Bharati Bill is being drafted which will take care of all these issues. The electronic media should be under government control, he said.