The second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation concluded on Thursday with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration.
The two-day conference hosted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) at Bharat Mandapam ended with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the unanimous passing of the Delhi Declaration.
The conference saw the participation of delegates from 29 Countries Ministers and policymakers, and 8 International organisations, including ICAO as part of the conference.
A significant milestone of the conference has been the formal adoption of the Delhi Declaration, a comprehensive framework aimed at enhancing regional cooperation, addressing emerging challenges, and fostering sustainable growth within the civil aviation sector.
The Prime Minister shared the technological and infrastructural advancements made by India in the sector with the top civil aviation leaders of the Asia-Pacific region. The Prime Minister emphasised on making the sector more inclusive for women, he said, “In India, 15 percent of the pilots are women which is more than the global average of 5 percent and we have issued an advisory to further increase this number.”
The Prime Minister also spoke about the transformation in the aviation sector in India in the last ten years and said from being aviation-exclusive, India has become aviation-inclusive. Highlighting the crucial role of the civil aviation sector, he said the focus is on connecting people, culture and prosperity through the sector.
The Prime Minister said that if we could connect all the holy places related to Lord Buddha across Asia and create an ‘International Buddhist Circuit’, it would benefit the civil aviation sector, the travellers, related countries and their economies as well.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu in his welcome address stated, “The Prime Minister’s commitment to inclusivity and sustainability is evident, with initiatives like the ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’ campaign and the planting of 80 thousand saplings to commemorate ICAO’s 80 years. Under his visionary leadership, India is set to achieve its goal of having 350-400 airports by 2047, positioning the nation as a key player in global aviation. Today,
India not only supports but leads collaborative efforts, as exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. By delivering vaccines across Asia and the Pacific, India reinforced its commitment to ‘One World, One Planet, One Future, One Family.'”
Salvatore, President of Council of ICAO in his address expressed, “Our primary focus is to continue to pursue high levels of safety and security. We must remain focused on enhancing these fundamental aspects of aviation, not allowing ourselves to become complacent when we consider the very positive statistics.”
Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol in his participation at the conference remarked, “It is heartening to be part of deliberations on the crucial aspects of aviation ranging from aviation safety to air navigation and from security to green aviation.”
Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, highlighted that a collaborative approach with all the stakeholders right from top civil aviation leaders to international organizations and startups can only lay a robust path ahead.
Day 2 of the conference has been marked by several key highlights, including a presentation by ICAO on the establishment of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Liaison Office, aimed at supporting smaller nations in addressing aviation challenges.
The Draft Asia Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Civil Aviation (Delhi Declaration) was presented and discussed, followed by its formal adoption after ministerial deliberations. Additionally, a ceremony was organised to commemorate the 80th anniversary of ICAO and the Chicago Convention, further highlighting the organization’s role in shaping international aviation standards over the past eight decades.
(WITH ANI INPUTS)
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