Foreign airlines see India's potential as global aviation hub for APAC

Executives at Japan Airlines and Thai Airways see India as a transit hub to connect Asia Pacific with West Asia and Africa

International airlines are recognising India's potential to become an aviation hub, connecting Asia Pacific to Africa and West Asia, according to a report by Mint. While Japan Airlines and Thai Airways executives acknowledge the potential, they also suggest that it might take some time for India to establish itself as a hub. India is currently the third-largest civil aviation market, and the government is reportedly working on plans to develop the country as a hub for international traffic, with efforts to make airports in metro cities more transit-friendly, aiming to reduce transfer times for passengers.

This comes after speculation that India will develop a national policy to transform its airports into major international hubs. This would involve streamlining security, immigration, and infrastructure to compete with global hubs like Dubai and Singapore's Changi Airport. While many airports in India have the potential to become international transfer hubs, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, Delhi airport may be the first to witness these changes.

As earlier reported by Business Standard, a panel had been set up by the government to designate the airport in Delhi as an international hub in line with Dubai and Doha airports. The committee reports directly to the aviation minister and was responsible for losing major global airports and suggesting steps that could elevate the airport. This committee may have formed the policy as part of the aviation ministry's plan to grow India's global aviation market and make Delhi a global transit hub.

It also aligns with the 2023-24 Union budget announcement, where Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman increased investment in the country's airports to Rs 75,000 crore. This includes Rs 15,000 crore from private sources that will contribute to growing India's aviation sector.