India, US agree to increase civil aviation cooperation

India and the United States have agreed to increase their level of cooperation in theaviation sector, including its modernization, and to meet the challenges in view of its rapid expansion.

The decision in this regard was taken following a series of meetings of visiting Indian delegation led by the Civil Aviation Secretary Madhavan Nambiar with members of the Obama

Administration.



During the meetings, the two sides discussed the future direction of the bilateral cooperation, said the Indian

Embassy in a statement.



The two countries agreed to work towards making Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP), signed in June 2007, more productive for India in its efforts to modernise the sector and meet challenges of rapid expansion in terms of safety, technology and communication support and air space management, the statement said.



It was agreed that the next Indo-US Aviation Summit would be held in the US in December 2009.



An agreement was also signed between the US Trade & Development Agency and Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India to fund projects under the US-India ACP, besides reviewing the progress of the Open Skies Agreement, 2005.



Over 2004-07, India imported more than USD 11 billion worth of aviation-related products from the US.

'India to work for developing nations in tackling recession'

President Pratibha Patil said that India will work towards ensuring representation of developing countries in global financial institutions while dealing with the economic crisis.

In an interaction with envoys from Maldives, Gambia and Sudan, Patil said on Friday while dealing with the current global financial crises, the long-pending issue of representation for developing countries in global financial institutions would be addressed.


Three High Commissioners Abdul Azeez Yoosuf (Maldives), Felix Badji (Gambia), and Khider Haroun Ahmed Abdulrazig (Sudan) presented their credentials to the President at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday.


This was the first Credentials Presentation Ceremony since the formation of the new government.


The President also talked about the recently held general elections in the country and massive mobilization of polling personnel for the conduct of the polls, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said.


Patil said India would continue to work for peace, stability and development in its region and the world.


She also told the envoys that India wants to improve its bilateral relations with their countries.


The ceremony was attended by senior members of the missions and officials of the External Affairs Ministry.