New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Narendra Modi, today, February 22 approved the signing of the air services agreement between India and Guyana.

The  Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement that the  Air Services Agreement will come into force after the exchange of diplomatic notes between the parties confirming that each party has fulfilled the necessary internal procedure for entry into force of this agreement. 

Notably, Indians have a sizeable presence in Guyana and are the biggest ethnic group comprising about 40 percent of the population as per 2012 census.

The inking of the agreement with Guyana will enable a framework for provision of air services between India and Guyana.

Air services agreements have been negotiated with numerous nations to open the door for international air connectivity in light of the expanding aviation market and events like the liberalisation of the aviation sector in India.
The air services agreement, according to the ministry, establishes the legal framework for air operations between two countries and is based on the principles of nationality of carriers, national sovereignty of nations, and reciprocity in terms of commercial opportunities for each side's designated airlines. There isn't currently an aviation services agreement (ASA) between the governments of Guyana and India.

The International Civil Aviation Convention has both Guyana and India as signatories (Chicago Convention).
On December 6, 2016, representatives from the governments of India and Guyana met in Nassau, Bahamas, as part of the ICAO Air Services Negotiations event, where both nations had ininitialedhe text of an ASA for regularly scheduled air flights between the two nations.

The new air services agreement between India and Guyana will create an atmosphere that will enable improved and seamless connectivity while giving carriers on both sides business opportunities, it was said.

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