Lok Sabha Question No. 1992 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-22
Subject: Expansion of Air Cargo Hubs
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose, Kumbakudi Sudhakaran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL VIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1992 (To be answered on the September 2020) 22nd

## EXPANSION OF AIR CARGO HUBS

1992.

ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE

## SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state: -

- (a) whether the Government has any plan to expand and modernise air cargo hubs in the country; if SO, the details thereof;
- (c) whether legislative and scheme-related steps have been taken to operationalise the National Air Cargo Policy unveiled last year and if s0, the details thereof;
- (6) the details of air cargo hubs which have been modernised s0 far in the country during the last three years;
- (d) whether despite India's cargolfreight market growth, Indian carriers are not beneficiaries of this growth but rather other carriers from Europe and Asia; and
- (e) the steps being taken in this regard for the benefit of this growing sector?

## ANSWER

Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

(a) to (c): The development of air cargo hub depends, inter alia, on various factors such as airline connectivity, capacity and network, airport infrastructure; regulatory regime, customers and regional needs, and airlinelairport operators choices regarding hubs based on their commercial and other considerations Para 20 of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016 read with the National Air Cargo Policy (NACP) Outline 2019 released in January 2019 provide the policy enablers and measures for the development of India as a global transit and transshipment hub. These also promote efficient flow of goods across India for development 0f regional and State air cargo hubs which could act aS gateways for the and States connected by domestic trade corridors to production or logistics hubs across the country: In order to operationalise various provisions %f the NACP Outline 2019, a number of measures have been taken, including circulation of the Krishi Udaan Scheme to all concerned Ministries/ Departments on 10 September 2020. regions

In the last three years, airline and airport operators and other air freight stakeholders have consistently enhanced and modernised their assets, infrastructure and networks and infrastructure respectively, even as simplified regulatory measures and digitalisation have improved end-to-end operationai efficiencies

- (d) & (e): The Open Policy for foreign cargo carriers promulgated in 1992 has been reviewed and on 17 September 2020 the Director General 0f Civil Aviation (DGCA) has announced some changes with a view to ensure fair and equal opportunity in the air cargo capacity offered by India-registered airlines and airlines registered elsewhere. It has also been provided that Indian operators facing any systemic and non-systemic discriminatory and restrictive practices and/or regulatory impediments in operating international air cargo flights in any foreign countries may bring issues to the knowledge of DGCA for further suitabie action; Separately, under the Krishi Udaan Scheme increase in the share of Indian carriers in the internationai movement of all types of cargo from the current 20% to at least 50% by 2026-27 is envisaged. Sky such