India and Iraq are likely to expand cooperation in aviation after a gap of 27 years, allowing their domestic carriers to fly more frequently to tap trade, reconstruction, religious and medical tourism opportunities.
A bilateral air services agreement was first signed in 1955 and endorsed again in 1983. Since then, no talks have taken place on expanding the scope of the agreement.
The agreement only allows two flights a week between the two countries, said a government official who did not want to be named.
The Iraqi government has asked India to expand the scope of this agreement. With the foreign ministry giving its approval, talks are likely to start later this month between the aviation ministry and a delegation from Iraq.
“Depending on talks, it will be decided whether this can be expanded to daily flights for airlines or more or less,” the official said.
There are no direct flights between India and Iraq, after national carrier Air India scrapped its flight to Iraq’s capital Baghdad at the time of the 1991 Gulf War.
This year, Jet Airways (India) Ltd has started chartered flights to West Asia, including a link to the Iraqi city of Karbala, a Shia religious centre.
Security concerns have hampered bilateral cooperation since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Indian truck drivers transporting supplies for American troops have been abducted for ransom by Iraqi militias.
In one instance, at least three kidnapped Indian truck drivers remained in captivity for two months in 2004.
The issue was resolved after India’s then junior foreign minister E. Ahamed flew to Baghdad for negotiations with the local authorities.
But things have improved gradually, said a second government official aware of the development, who also asked not to be named.
“Iraq is a friendly country, it has supported us on a number of issues many times. Iraq is trying to re-emerge towards normalcy. The request (for a relook at the air services agreement) came from the Iraq side. An air services agreement exists, this is the revival of the agreement that we are looking at. India would like to play an important role in this—trade, commerce, reconstruction,” the second official said.
live Mint