India and Kuwait ink deal to clear runway for more flights and flyers

India and Kuwait have signed a new aviation deal expanding seat capacity to 18,000 weekly, addressing high demand and easing operational constraints for airlines

India and Kuwait have agreed to significantly expand their bilateral flying rights for the first time in nearly two decades. The revised agreement raises the weekly seat quota by 50 per cent to 18,000 seats from 12,000 for each side.

 

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was formally signed in New Delhi by India’s Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and Sheikh Hamoud Al-Mubarak, President of Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, on Wednesday, after being finalised a day earlier.

 

This is the first capacity enhancement since 2006, when the weekly quota was raised to 12,000 seats from 8,320.

   

Indian and Kuwaiti carriers ramp up operations

Currently, nearly 40 daily flights operate between India and Kuwait, served by Indian carriers such as Air India Express, Akasa Air, and IndiGo, alongside Kuwaiti airlines including Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways. Kuwait Airways leads with 54 weekly services, followed by IndiGo’s 36, making them the largest operators on the route.   

PM Modi’s Kuwait visit laid groundwork for aviation deal

The subject of expanding air connections was also discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kuwait in December 2023. As part of the new arrangement, Indian airlines will also receive priority access to landing and parking slots at Kuwaiti airports—a key operational advantage in congested hubs.

 

Aviation dialogue with Gulf nations continues

 

According to a report by The Economic Times, the Ministry of External Affairs has also confirmed that discussions on civil aviation are ongoing with several Gulf nations. The ministry said efforts are under way to increase flight frequency and open new destinations, which would ultimately contribute to lowering travel costs for passengers.

 

Rising demand from diaspora drove deal momentum

The seat increase comes amid a surge in travel demand between the two nations, particularly driven by the large Indian diaspora in Kuwait, with a significant portion hailing from Kerala, the report added. Carriers on both sides had been operating at full capacity for some time, limiting their ability to introduce additional flights and leading to higher ticket prices.