KOCHI: A trade delegation from New Zealand led by Prime Minister Rt Hon John Key, which is on a tour of India, will visit the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Thursday.
The visit assumes significance against the backdrop of New Zealand’s recent efforts to strengthen trade and political ties with India.
The team will also visit the newly built international terminal at the airport. The delegates, including John Key’s wife Bronagh Key, will inspect the `70-crore baggage handling system set up by New Zealand-based Glidepath at the new terminal. The company has also won contract for installing a `72-crore computed tomography-based X-ray screening system at the terminal.
“The visit is expected to bridge the trade gap, considering the fact that there is no direct flight between the two countries, and that New Zealand has been making efforts to boost trade ties with India in various sectors, including aviation. Besides, an international airport is coming up in Kannur,” said sources.
After the one-hour visit to the airport, the NZ Prime Minister will leave for Jakarta in Indonesia by 6.40 pm. “Works on the baggage handling and X-ray screening systems have been completed at the 15-lakh-sqft terminal with futuristic facilities, being built at a cost of `1,000 crore. The terminal is expected to be thrown open for traffic by November end,” said a CIAL spokesperson.