New Delhi, September 12
The 2nd Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation concluded on Thursday with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration. The two-day conference ended with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing unanimous passing of the Delhi Declaration.
The two-day conference saw the participation of delegates from 29 countries, ministers and policymakers, and 8 international organisations, including ICAO, which celebrated its 80 years of operations as part of the conference.
Ministry of Civil Aviation, in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), successfully hosted the conference at Bharat Mandapam.
This high-level gathering has brought together ministers, heads of civil aviation authorities, and key stakeholders to address the current challenges and unlock more opportunities in the region.
The conference witnessed engaging discussions and presentations focused on shaping the future of aviation in the Asia-Pacific region. 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.
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.
Prime Minister emphasised making the sector more inclusive for women; he said, "In India, 15 per cent of the pilots are women, which is more than the global average of 5 per cent and we have issued an advisory to further increase this number."
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.
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, "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, expressed in his address, "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."
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.