India, Kuwait boost air connectivity with 50% capacity increase
Kuwait City
Kuwait and India signed a new air services agreement with an aim to increase weekly air capacity by 50 percent. This partnership will allow the airline operators to raise seats up to 18,000 per week, each direction, up from the previous limit of 12,000.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on air travel was signed by Sheikh Hamoud Mubarak Al Sabah, President of Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and Samir Kumar Sinha, India's Civil Aviation Secretary, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
This is the first time since 2006, when the deal represents the first such expansion of bilateral air rights. In 2006, the capacity was raised from 8,320 seats. The long-awaited agreement comes as part of ongoing efforts to deepen coordination and strategic partnership between the two nations in the civil aviation sector, said Sheikh Hamoud Al Sabah (member of the Kuwaiti royal family).
He said, 'It will support and expand the air transport market for both nations, with a focus on meeting the expectations of travellers and aligning with the evolving dynamics of the aviation industry.
'As of now, airlines such as Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa Air operate nearly 40 flights daily on the India-Kuwait route. Specifically, Kuwait Airways leads with 54 weekly flights, followed closely by IndiGo with 36, making them the two dominant players on this corridor.
According to a Dubai-based newspaper, IndiGo is seeking an additional 5,000 seats per week, while Air India Express and Akasa Air have requested 3,000 seats each. Air India is reportedly aiming to increase its capacity by 1,500 seats. Flights under the expanded capacity are expected to begin in August 2025, with Indian airlines coordinating with Kuwait International Airport to secure new time slots.The long-awaited agreement between Kuwait and India comes as part of ongoing efforts to deepen coordination and strategic partnership between the two nations in the civil aviation sector.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Russia could be turning to a new crypto called A7A5
Agencies Russia could be turning to a new cryptocurrency called A7A5 to allow money to flow in and out of the country and avoid Western sanctions, experts have told AFP. Multiple rounds of international sanctions have been imposed on Moscow since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine seeking to ramp up economic pressure to halt the war. But the launch of A7A5 in February this year opened up an alternative payment method for Russian businesses and individuals to sidestep sanctions when trading with foreign partners, the UK-based non-profit Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) said in a report. A7A5 is a stablecoin—a form of cryptocurrency backed by traditional assets—in this case pegged to the ruble, making it harder for Western authorities to monitor than dollar-based alternatives. It was launched by a pro-Russian Moldovan oligarch and a Russian state-owned bank as 'the first ever ruble-pegged stablecoin,' George Voloshin from anti-money laundering group ACAMS told AFP. While it is not widely used yet, experts say its creation marks a significant step in Russia's efforts to reduce its dependence on major crypto companies—many of which cooperate with Western governments. Since Russia was kicked out of the international banking system SWIFT and hit with asset freezes and investment bans, Moscow has already turned to crypto to sidestep financial restrictions imposed by the United States and its allies. Stablecoins are especially attractive because they are less volatile than other cryptocurrencies. People have also used cryptocurrency to donate directly to both the Ukrainian army and Russian militias, according to several analytics firms such as Elliptic. But Russia has faced a problem: USDT, the most popular stablecoin, is tied to the US dollar and controlled by a company called Tether, which cooperates with US and European authorities. Earlier this year, Tether blocked $28 million in USDT held in wallets on Garantex, Russia's largest crypto exchange, which was shut down following a global crackdown on illegal transactions. 'That was a real wake-up call' for Russia, said Elise Thomas, senior investigator at CIR. 'It made them think that they need their own stablecoin, they need something that they control,' she added. Just before Garantex was shut down, tens of millions of dollars were moved from USDT into A7A5, according to data from crypto tracking firm Global Ledger. A7A5 is backed by deposits in Promsvyazbank, a Russian bank under sanctions for its ties to the government and the military. The coin is traded on Grinex, a crypto exchange based in Kyrgyzstan—a country seen as friendlier to Russian interests and less vulnerable to Western pressure.
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Swiss entrepreneur invites institutions, individuals from Qatar to Davos event
Ashraf Siddiqui Doha Anis Khan, a Swiss national and CEO of Zurich-based Intrapass GmbH, and organiser of the Global SME Summit has called upon Qatari institutions, entrepreneurs, and youth leaders to participate in the event, taking place from September 3–5, 2025, at the Davos Congress Centre, Switzerland. He made the statement while talking exclusively to Qatar Tribune. Originally from Bangladesh, Khan has lived in Switzerland for more than 50 years. A seasoned expert with a distinguished background in aviation security, he founded GSBH with an aim to create a global platform exclusively for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Motivated by the lack of international attention given to SMEs despite their massive contribution, approximately 70% to global economic growth, Khan decided to act. His aim is to give SMEs the visibility, tools, and networks they need to thrive on the global stage. Currently visiting Qatar, Khan intends to meet concerned institutions and entrepreneurs to invite them to the Global SME Summit in Davos. He said that it will be the first of its kind conference dedicated entirely to SMEs in a forum traditionally reserved for large corporations and policymakers. He said that the summit will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, masterclasses, and networking sessions, addressing themes such as access to finance, entrepreneurship, innovation, resilience, and long-term growth. Khan's personal journey—from arriving in Switzerland with just $200 to leading a successful international business—is a testament to the power of perseverance and vision. Now, through GSBH, he is building a platform for others to achieve similar success, regardless of background. The initiative has already received strong support internationally, including from institutions in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Italy, and Thailand. Now it is seeking to attract the entrepreneurs from Qatar. Khan has praised Qatar's SME development efforts, especially those led by Qatar Development Bank and Qatar Financial Centre, among others which continue to support youth and technical professionals. 'We urge academic institutions, chambers of commerce, development agencies, and aspiring entrepreneurs—especially youth—to engage with this global movement. Your participation can help shape a future where SMEs are recognized not just as contributors, but as drivers of global economic growth,' Khan stressed. 'Let us come together in Davos to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs,' he concluded
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
India, UK sign FTA with aim to enhance bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030
Agencies London In a historic step, the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) was signed in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The trade deal which was agreed upon in May this year, was signed on Thursday during PM Modi's visit to the United Kingdom. The agreement has been finalised with an aim to enhance bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030, effectively doubling the current trade volume between both nations. The free trade agreement signed today will help in facilitating reduced tariffs on exports of labour-intensive goods including leather, footwear and clothing, whilst reducing import duties on British whisky and automobiles. The trade agreement was formalised with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in attendance, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and British counterpart Jonathan Reynolds signing the document. The agreement requires the British Parliament's endorsement before implementation, a process anticipated to take approximately one year, according to a PTI report. The agreement ensures that 99 percent of exports from India would receive duty-free access to British markets. On a braid basis tariffs on UK's exports to India will come down from 15 percent to 3 percent, implying cheaper goods available for Indians. Such bilateral trade arrangements typically involve both doing away with or substantially lowering customs duties on the majority of traded goods. Additionally, they aim to simplify regulations in order to encourage service trade and mutual investments. India's agricultural industry is positioned to benefit in a big way. India's global agricultural exports stand at $36.63 billion, whilst the UK's total agricultural imports are $37.52 billion. However, UK's imports from India are merely $811 million. The British market presents lucrative opportunities for specialised Indian agricultural products, including tea, mangoes, grapes, spices and seafood items, amongst others. The India-UK FTA has sections addressing different aspects of trade; this includes goods, services, innovation, government procurement, and intellectual property rights. The FTA's key provisions include halving import duties on UK-produced whisky and gin from 150 percent to 75 percent to begin with, followed by a further decrease to 40 percent within a decade. Additionally, tariffs on automobiles will see a big reduction from over 100 percent to 10 percent. This is subject to quota restrictions. The agreement also aims to facilitate market access and cost-effective trade for businesses and Indian consumers via reduced import duties on various products. These include cosmetics, aerospace components, lamb, medical equipment, salmon, electrical machinery, soft drinks, chocolate and biscuits. The agreement will create export prospects for domestic sectors that employ substantial workforce, encompassing textiles, marine products, leather goods, footwear, sports equipment and toys, gems and jewellery, engineering products, automotive components and engines, alongside organic chemicals. The services component of the trade deal will facilitate the movement of diverse professionals, including independent professionals—such as yoga instructors, musicians, and chefs—business visitors, investors, contractual service suppliers, intra-corporate transferees, as well as their partners and dependent children who are granted the right to work. India and the UK have also finalised discussions on the Double Contribution Convention Agreement, which is also known as the social security agreement. This arrangement would mean that Indian professionals working temporarily in Britain will not have to make duplicate payments towards social security funds.
