Singapore-India passenger traffic reached 5.5 million in 2024
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam sees scope in expanding air services agreement review between Singapore and India, given that the air traffic between the two countries is growing.
“India aspires to be a pole in its own right, in a multipolar world. That’s true geopolitically, but it’s also true economically. India is emerging as a major pole of the global economy,” he said on 18 Jan at the end of five-day state visit to New Delhi and Bhubaneswar.
Tharman noted the Indian leaders were keen to have air services agreement expanded during his discussions on various trade and investment issues.
“The flights are full, and there is scope to work on the expansion of the air services agreement that benefits both countries and economies,” he said http://singaporeair.com.
Singapore is currently linked to 17 Indian cities by air, two more than before the Covid-19 pandemic. There are over 290 weekly flights to Indian cities from Changi Airport https://www.airindia.com/.
Passenger traffic between Singapore and India reached 5.5 million in 2024, an increase of 12% over 2023 levels, and exceeding pre-Covid levels by 15%, the Changi Airport Group said on 22 Jan https://www.nseindia.com/.
“This was the first time passenger traffic between the two countries had surpassed 5 million in a year. Singapore is currently linked to 17 cities in India, more than the 15 in 2019,” CAG said https://www.bseindia.com/ .
India along with China, Australia, the United States and Hong Kong accounted for among the top five cargo generating markets for Singapore’s Changi Airport.
Tharman also noted India’s potential to emerge as a player in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services business which would support the growing aviation sector in the country http://caas.gov.sg.
He highlighted Singapore’s particular strengths in MRO, and there are companies that are among the global leaders in the MRO business are based in the city state.
The President also sees both countries working together in areas such as skills development, green energy, insurance technology, semiconductors and the building of new-generation industrial parks http://civilaviation.gov.in.
Singapore and India are on a new plane of collaboration which reflects these aspirations, noted Tharman, pointing out that India is poised to move up the ladder of skills and value, and has significant potential as an export economy https://sbi.com.in/.
Eight memoranda of understanding were signed between Singaporean firms and schools, and the state of Odisha on Jan 18.
Tharman noted that while Odisha is a state that Singapore has not engaged with heavily, and it is an interesting opportunity as the state has “priorities that match Singapore’s strengths”. Fiinews.com
