Boeing has entered into a technical assistance pact with the Airports Authority of India, to develop a roadmap that modernises air traffic management in India. Supported by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), this project is aimed at improving the airspace utilisation in addition to maintaining aircraft operations in the country. AAI’s partnership with USTDA dates back to 2017 when the two signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to sustainably expand operational capacities of the Kolkata and Lucknow International airports.
Boeing India tweeted on its partnership with AAI:
Communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS); and air traffic management (ATM) are two key focus points of this 10-year modernisation roadmap. Local, as well as global practices, will be taken into consideration for this project, which will be developed over a period of 18 months.
As a part of this project, Boeing will also work with aviation safety regulatory body Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), domestic airlines, airports operators and airspace stakeholders among others.
AAI Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra believes that the implementation of these modern technologies will help India in significantly increasing its airspace capacity by enhancing communication and allowing flexible use of airspace.
Keeping in mind the current state of the Indian aviation industry, there is a need for increasing safety for aircraft operations and improving the airport infrastructure.