NEW DELHI: India and Japan on Thursday agreed to an open sky arrangement under which the airlines of both countries can operate an unlimited number of flights. The agreement was signed after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan PM Shino Abe. The move is ought to increase air travel and tourism between the two countries. Travel portal Yatra.com said the free movement of airlines between the two countries will also lead to reduction in price of air tickets. “The agreement will not only encourage connectivity and passenger travel between the two countries, but will also result in reduction in airfares on these routes,” Yatra.com's COO Sharat Dhall said.
The agreement was signed in accordance with the National Civil Aviation Policy (NACP), 2016. The NACP permits the government to enter into an ‘open sky’ air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi.
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying, “The two Prime ministers welcomed the expansion of civil aviation connectivity between India and Japan, utilising the recently updated open sky policies between the two countries.” Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines and Indian carriers Air India and Jet Airways are the airlines that fly between the two countries. Pertinently, last week, full service carrier Vistara had announced plans to enter into a code share partnership with Japan Airlines by next year. Vistara is also likely to unveil plans for international operations soon and Japan is on the radar, it had said.
Last year, India signed an open sky agreement with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. India also signed a bilateral open sky agreement with the US in 2005. In 2003, India had signed an open sky agreement with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).