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Kashmir, 10th October 2022: Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said that a civil enclave will be built in Jammu at a cost of Rs 861 crores and the Srinagar’s present terminal will be expanded three times from 20,000 square meters to 60,000 square meters at a cost of Rs 1500 crores.Scindia said this while inaugurating 4th Heli-India Summit 2022 with the theme ‘Helicopters for last Mile Connectivity’ at Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre, Srinagar, in presence of Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Sh. Manoj Sinha. During the summit,Scindia said that the decrease in VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 26.5 percent to one percent by the J&K government has set a new dawn for air connectivity in the Union territory with 360 percent increase in refueling, thus increasing the air connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir. Praising PM Narendra Modi for bringing a revolution in the Civil Aviation sector in India from 2014 onwards, Sh. Scindia said that from 1947 to 2014, the country had only 74 airports, but now the number has increased to 141, with 67 added in last seven years which shows the pace of progress in the Civil Aviation sector.The government is committed to increase the number to above 200 in the next few years, Sh. Scindia added. Scindia said that the Civil Aviation has now become the need of the hour not only for India but for humankind across the world as it always brings with it two important multipliers, the economic multiplier and the employment multiplier. The sector has huge impact with economic multiplier of 3.1 and employment multiplier of 6, the Minister informed. Therefore, the Civil Aviation across the world today forms a very important cog of the wheel of economic development, the Minister added. During the summit, Sh. Scindia said that helicopters have multifarious roles, providing urban connectivity which is no more an elitist prerogative in India but is based on PM Narendra Modi’s vision ‘Sab Ude, Sab Jude’. The other roles of helicopter service has been the emergency medical services and disaster management during floods, rescue operations etc., the Minister informed. Jammu & Kashmir has set an example of the best use of helicopter service when it erected transmission lines and towers using heli-cranes (sky cranes) on the Peer Panjal mountain range, the Minister added. Scindia further said that Civil Aviation Ministry not only organizes summits but also monitors the progress of ‘Sankalps’ taken from one summit to another. During the 3rd Heli-India Summit at Dehradun, the eight Sankalps taken like providing Heli-Sewa Portal, Heli-Disha, Helicopter Accelerator Cell, doing away with the landing & parking charges for helicopter service, creation of specific helicopter corridors, helipads to be given priority while framing DPR for all new highways, upgradation of Juhu airbase to accommodate night operations etc. were taken to their logical end. HeliSewa portal is fully online and being used by all operators for obtaining landing permissions to helipads, and it also is creating a database of helipads in the country. HeliDisha, the guidance material on helicopter operations for State administration has been distributed to 780 districts. The Helicopter Accelerator Cell is fully active in resolving helicopter issues and the advisory group of industry representatives is helping identify problems areas. “We have waived off landing and parking charges for helicopters at airports and we have started helicopter sensitization training of ATC officers for speedier helicopter traffic handling. Three helicopter corridors from Mumbai-Pune, Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar, and Shamshabad-Begumpet have been created and new IFR corridors are being planned. Working with MoRTH, we have been able to allot helipad spaces from the design stage for all future expressways and major highways so that it can be used for the evacuation of accident victims. And we have already commenced work on the upgradation of Juhuheli base which is the largest in the country, to accommodate night operations and helicopter IFR routes using GAGAN.”, he added. The Minister informed that today the guidelines on Fractional Ownership Model have been released to help grow the non-scheduled operations. “While our scheduled operations are on the fast track and we have increased the fleet size from 400 aeroplanes in 2013 to more than 700 in 2021-22, through these guidelines, we should be able to spur growth in the non-scheduled fleet too. Fractional ownership will lower the barrier on the cost of acquisition of helicopters and aeroplanes through pooled capital by multiple owners. This will allow companies and individuals to minimise their capital outflow by sharing the purchase cost, reducing their exposure to risks and making it financially easier to run a NSOP business. Fractional Ownership Model has the potential to energize the NSOP segment by democratising ownership of aircraft and it can be a key driver to boost the number of aircraft existing in the NSOP industry. The helicopter industry should be recognised for its social service. It is not a transportation vehicle but a transformation tool, it can be used not only for economic development but could also to transform lives.”, he added. Shri scindia said that we have also decided to incubate a HEMS pilot called Project Sanjeevani by deploying a helicopter in the next few weeks to provide emergency medical services at AIIMS Rishikesh. The helicopter will be based at the hospital at 20 min notice and will have a service cover to an area of 150 km radius. It is the intention of the Govt to expand medical outreach and access to trauma care services to a wider population base across the country using the speed advantage and mobility of helicopters. We will use the learnings from Project Sanjeevani to explore the viability of the concept, its benefits, and the attendant risks and later articulate a national policy on HEMS before committing larger resources. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Sh. Manoj Sinha, who was special guest during the summit said that the decision taken by the J&K UT government of decreasing VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 26.5

6th October 2022,New Delhi: Akasa Air, India’s newest airline, shared its expansion plan with addition of Delhi and Ahmadabad to it growing network. Speaking at an event to mark the airline’s first 60 days of operations, Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Akasa Air said, “Our first two months have been very exciting and satisfying as we moved from planning to commercial operations. We have been hyper focused on establishing and delivering an empathetic, dependable, and reliable flying experience unlike anything witnessed in the Indian skies thus far”. “We are delighted that a significant number of flyers have already chosen to fly with us and are very pleased with the positive feedback we have received on our product and service. It is equally satisfying to see the pride in our employees as they work together to deliver the Akasa Experience”, he added. Akasa Air also announced starting flights to and from Delhi from 7th October onwards establish the network with national capital as its sixth destination. Additionally, Delhi- Ahmedabad routes will also start serving both the routes with daily flights in each direction. The airline has announced eight destinations so far, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai, Delhi, Agartala and Guwahati being covered with 11 non-stop routes. Commenting on the occasion, Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder, and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, said “We are elated by the response we have received as we welcomed on board more than 100,000 passengers within just 60 days of operations. Further strengthening our domestic connectivity and catering to more flyers during the festive season, we are delighted to be able to add Delhi to our network and connect the capital city to the rapidly growing and vibrant cities of Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. By expanding our network with an aircraft arriving every 15 days, we aim to fulfil our goal of developing a strong pan-India presence and expect to operate 300 weekly flights by October end.” In a new concept among the Indian carrier, Akasa Air will commence pet-friendly service from 1st November 2022, wherein passengers flying on Akasa Air will be able to travel with their pets in the cabin. Akasa Air has been progressively expanding its network with the introduction of routes in Tier 2 and 3 cities. The company has recently received its sixth aircraft and will have a fleet size of 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023. Over the next four years, the airline will add 54 additional aircraft, taking its total fleet size to 72 aircraft.

Montréal, 27 September 2022: The Edward Warner Award, acknowledged as the highest honour in the world of civil aviation, was posthumously conferred by the ICAO Council on Dr. Ángela Marina Donato of Argentina. Named in honour of the first President of the ICAO Council, Dr Edward Warner, the award is bestowed, in the form of a gold medal, on an individual or institution, in recognition of outstanding achievements in international civil aviation. Dr. Donato was selected in light of her eminent contributions to the development of international civil aviation throughout her career, and for serving as a beacon of ambition and accomplishment to several generations of women pursuing aviation careers. The award ceremony took place on the opening day of ICAO’s 41st triennial Assembly and was led by the current President of the ICAO Council, Salvatore Sciacchitano. President Sciacchitano highlighted Dr. Donato’s leadership roles as the Undersecretary of Commercial Air Transport of Argentina; Director of the Air Transport Bureau of ICAO; Secretary of the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission; and Secretary General of the Latin American Association of Air and Space Law. Dr. Donato devoted her life to cultivating expertise in multiple aviation fields, and to training several generations of specialists. This prolific work led ICAO and the International Aviation Women’s Association to recognize her in 2014 as one of the 70 most outstanding women in world aviation history. The award was accepted by Sebastian Donato, a family member of the late Dr. Donato.

New Delhi, 28th September 2022: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport, Kolkata & Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport, Indore received the prestigious National Tourism Award 2018-19 from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India as ‘Best Tourist Friendly Airport in Class X (Metro) Cities’& Best Tourist Friendly Airport in the “Other cities” categories respectively. The award was conferred to the C Pattabhi, Airport Director, Kolkata Airport & C V Ravindran, Airport Director, Indore Airport by Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice-President of India, in a ceremony held at the Vigyan Bhavan.G. Kishan Reddy,Union Minister of Tourism and Ajay Bhatt, MoS Tourism also graced the ceremony.The award represents recognition of efforts for providing tourist friendly amenities and contributing towards promoting tourism. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India presents the National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel and tourism industry every year. The award for the ‘Best Airport’ category is designated for the airport in India providing splendid facilities to passengers and guests. The major criteria for selection include creation of tourist friendly infrastructure, maintenance and upkeep of the airport and adaptation of eco-friendly practices etc.

Montreal; 28th Sept 2022: On the sidelines of the 42nd Session of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between International Solar Alliance (ISA) and ICAO in the presence of Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of Civil Aviation of India, H.E. Monsieur Clement Beaunne, Minister of Transport of France and Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council. The MoU was signed by Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary-General, ICAO and Joshua Wycliffe, Chief of Operations, ISA.During the visit of Jyotiraditya Scindia to Montreal in May 2022, the idea of ICAO becoming a partner organisation of ISA was mooted by the Minister in his meeting with the President of ICAO. In a period of four months, the MoU was agreed and concluded. The conclusion of the MoU between ISA and ICAO in the presence of Ministers from India and France carries forward the legacy of the bold initiative laid down by Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India and H.E. Francois Hollande, former President of France in 2015 at COP 21 in Paris. The ISA is an alliance of 121 signatory countries and 32 partner organizations including many UN organizations. ISA works for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. ISA strives to devise cost effective and transformational solutions for using renewable energy to member countries with a particular focus in delivering on impact in LDCs and SlDCs.India has pledged for Net Zero Carbon goal in 2070 in COP 26. Its approach continues to be human-centric, based on respect and national ownership principles, with a commitment to one and all. India has pledged a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy of which 100 GW will be solar energy by 2022 and reduction in emission intensity by 33-35% by 2030, to let solar energy reach the most unconnected villages and communities. Cochin International Airport in India became the world’s first fully Solar powered airport in the world in 2015. India, with the support of France, has invited nations to facilitate infrastructure for implementation of solar projects. The alliance has committed one trillion dollars as an investment, and it is committed to making the costs of solar power more affordable for remote and inaccessible communities.ICAO is committed towards reducing carbon emissions in aviation sector through its numerous initiatives and goals. In this noble initiative, the Partnership between ISA and ICAO through this MoU could not have come at a better time, as it will trigger a range of interventions towards developing capacity of States to use solar energy. It will work towards providing information, providing advocacy, capacity building and demonstration projects. It will enable the solarization of aviation sector across all Member States.

New Delhi, 23rd Sept. 2022: Providing further impetus to Aatmanirbharta in defence production, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) signed a contract today with M/s BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. (BAPL) for acquisition of additional dual-role capable Surface to Surface BrahMos missiles at an overall approximate cost of Rs. 1700 Crore under “Buy-Indian” Category. Induction of these dual-role capable Missiles is going to significantly enhance the operational capability of Indian Navy (IN) fleet assets. It is notable that BAPL is a Joint Venture (JV) between India and Russia making crucial contribution to augment the new generation Surface-to-Surface Missiles (SSMs) with enhanced range and dual role capability for land as well as anti-ship attacks. This contract is going to give further boost to indigenous production of critical weapon system and ammunition with active participation of indigenous industry.

New Delhi, 23rd September 2022: In line with the decision of Govt. of India, a total of 1924 Private Security Agency (PSA) Security personnel will be deployed at 60 airports in place of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) posted at non-core duty posts. The above decision will reduce the Security expenditure and these CISF personnel can be deployed at other airports which will further strengthen the security set-up. This will further help in operationalization of new Domestic & International Airports. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has appointed 581 Security personnel from Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) sponsored Security Agencies for Non-Core posts at 45 Airports. These Security personnel will be deployed after completion of Aviation Security (AVSEC) training program at selected airports. As on date, 161 DGR personnel for 16 airports are attending AVSEC training programs and they will be deployed after completion of training from 24th September 2022. At Kolkata Airport, already 74 DGR Security personnel have been deployed from 09th September 2022 after attending the AVSEC training program. Deployment process of the remaining security personnel is under process.

New Delhi, September 14, 2022: RattanIndia Enterprises announced the launch of ‘Defender’ by its company TAS (Throttle Aerospace Systems). The unveiling took place at the hands of Gen. V.K. Singh, MOS, Civil Aviation, Govt. of India at Air Force Auditorium, Subroto Park, Delhi during the ‘Unmanned Aerial Systems India, 2022’ event. Defender is an indigenously developed tracking and capturing system for rogue drones. Defender is loaded with 13 pre-programmed to neutralize the rogue drones. With rising instances of drone-based aerial threats to restricted installations under defence and private airspace, this solution will provide a first-of-a-kind capability to the Indian defence establishment to get rid of rogue drones flying over unauthorized airspace. TAS product is developed with AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities to take real-time decisions to facilitate the capture and subsequent retrieval of rogue drones. Defender employs a soft kill approach wherein a net capture mechanism is utilized. Defender is thus able to instantaneously neutralize emergent threat before it can render any harm. Moving at top speeds of 26 m/s ( ̴95km/hr) with range up to 20 kms in a single flight, the fast response time of Defender will considerably limit the potential of the rogue drone to inflict damage. Most importantly, this will be manufactured completely in India using indigenous technologies and will contribute to the ‘Make in India’ program. Commenting on the occasion, Anjali Rattan, Business Chairperson of RattanIndia Enterprises Limited said,“We are pleased to have the opportunity to unveil this product at the Unmanned Aerial Systems India, 2022 in presence of the members from the armed forces, the defence establishment and industry. ‘Drone Defender’ is an important addition to our new product line-up at TAS and to our strategy of supporting the drone solutions economy through advanced, home-grown offerings. I am proud of our TAS team, which has developed ‘Drone Defender’ to support our armed forces. Drone-based threats continue to challenge important assets globally and through this offering we are levelling the playing field while also protecting lives.” Nagendran Kandasamy, Founder & CEO of TAS said, “Drone Defender represents a key milestone in India’s journey of self-reliance in defence preparedness. With in-house development of the core hardware and software technologies and domestic design & manufacturing, the product also represents a new flagship offering from the NeoSky and TAS teams. Incorporating deep tech, combining sophisticated hardware and AI based decision-making for targeting rogue drones, ‘Drone Defender’ can effectively neutralize threats without any human intervention. “ Defence forces and private industry largely rely on imported drones, acquired at a significantly higher cost to defend assets. ‘Done Defender’ envisions a local solution, at a highly competitive operating cost. TAS is aligned to undertake manufacture and sales of initial batches of the product in the coming weeks and is in dialogue with select institutions for pre-sales demonstrations. ‘Drone Defender’ is the 4th novel product to join the repertoire of TAS’s defence drones. TAS has been the first company to successfully complete BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) pilot, flying with a delivery load of 5kg. It has gained experience and commercial competence in defence segment through surveillance and logistics drone systems.

Bengaluru, 14 September 2022: Australia’s national airline Qantas has today launched a new route from Bengaluru (BLR) to Sydney (SYD), providing the first direct connection between Southern India and Australia by any airline. QF68 will cut nearly three hours off the current fastest travel time between the two cities and significantly boost connectivity between India and New South Wales. Since the announcement of the new service earlier this year, the route has seen strong demand, with both the outbound and inbound inaugural flights sold out in all cabins. The new services will provide new tourism opportunities for Bengaluru and India, with a direct gateway for Australian tourists to experience all that India has to offer. For people living in Bengaluru and southern India, it’s a convenient non-stop flight to Sydney for a dream holiday or to visit friends and family. Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David said the flights will boost tourism and economic relations and opportunities between Australia and India.“The addition of Bengaluru to our route map deepens our ties with India and follows the launch of direct services from Australia to Delhi last year which has also proven popular. Qantas is now the only airline offering direct flights between Australia’s two largest cities and the north and south of India.” Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Satyaki Raghunath said the start of the new Qantas Bengaluru – Sydney route was a historic moment for BLR Airport. “It gives us immense pleasure to welcome Australia’s national airline Qantas to BLR Airport. This is a historic occasion considering that it is the first ever non-stop service connecting South and Central India to Australia. The flights will reduce travel time over existing options and will make access to Australia and points beyond, including New Zealand and the Pacific Islands easy, particularly for leisure travellers, corporates, sports enthusiasts and students who go there for higher studies. “This connection is even more special because it is the eighth one world carrier to begin operations from BLR Airport. The addition of this flight also puts the focus back on BLR Airport’s commitment to introducing new routes and opportunities for tourism and trade between South India and Australia.” Qantas has recently launched the first phase of its codeshare partnership with IndiGo. There are currently 11 destinations available for Qantas customers to connect with on IndiGo to and from Bengaluru, including Mumbai, Goa, Kolkata and Chennai. The codeshare will continue to roll out over the coming months, broadening access and making it easier for Qantas customers in India to connect with the new direct flights to Sydney. Qantas will fly an A330 aircraft from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to Sydney four times per week on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

EASA approval for state-of-the-art facility at Cochin International Airport enhances indigenous maintenance capacity, promoting Atmanirbharta in aviation & aerospace maintenance Delhi, 13th Sept 2022: Air Works MRO has announced receiving the European Aviation Safety Agency’s [EASA] Part 145 Approval for its state-of-the-art twin-hangar MRO facility at the Cochin International Airport.With EASA approval, Air Works will be able to offer full MPD support for the Airbus 320 family (including A318/ A319/ A320/ A321) for Base maintenance [up to and including 120-month inspection for all 4 engine options viz. PW1100G, CFM 56, Leap-1A and IAE V2500], C-Checks, structural and corrosion inspections, as well as undertaking major repairs and modifications for the Airbus 320 aircraft family, in addition to End- of-lease-transitions, bridging checks and engine changes. At the occasion, D Anand Bhaskar, Managing Director & CEO, Air Works Group said, “We are excited to enhance our EASA-certified capacity and capabilities which will expand the scale of our operations and support to regional aircraft operators and global lessors. EASAs 145 approval of our Kochi facility was a much-awaited and long-overdue milestone and is a step forward in accelerating indigenous maintenance, complementing the country’s ambition of becoming Atmanirbhar and an MRO hub. I take this occasion to acknowledge the relentless commitment of our Quality team who have been instrumental in securing this approval.” The location of the Kochi MRO facility [at the Cochin Int’l Airport] is strategic, given that Kochi has been a hub for leading carriers from the Middle East. The EASA 145 approval comes at a time when Air Works recently expanded its operations to Dubai in an endeavor to enhance access to its cost-effective and industry- leading workmanship to both international and domestic carriers, reinforcing its position of being India’s most loved MRO. The Kochi facility – commissioned in March 2021 during the pandemic, is already certified by the DGCA. It is also a DGCA-certified facility for Air Works’ Business Aviation (General Aviation) customers for a variety for aircraft. Commenting on the development,Mangesh Karyakarte, Chief Sales Officer – Commercial & Defense MRO, Air Works Group said, “With EASA Part 145 approval, we are now uniquely poised to offer flexible maintenance support to our customers from two independent facilities providing end-to-end Engineering & maintenance services. The approval enables us offer and undertake a comprehensive series of maintenance checks and repairs, ranging from simple to complex ones on A320 aircraft that dominate the narrow body market in India, including the various airworthiness directives (AD) & Supplemental Type Certifications (STC) from time to time.” He further added, “Over time, I see Kochi becoming a preferred maintenance facility for both domestic as well as incoming carriers from the SAARC, South-East Asia, Middle East and North Africa.” The twin-hangar MRO facility at Kochi, spread over 50,000 sqm, has been thoughtfully designed and is a completely integrated, independent setup, housing key workshops equipped to undertake structures, interiors, and composites repairs to support timely aircraft maintenance & turnaround. Kochi complements Air Works’ primary facility at Hosur [Tamil Nadu], which incidentally, is India’s first EASA-certified Commercial MRO facility [2009]. In addition to the Airbus320 family, Hosur also offers full MPD support for ATR 42-400/500/72-212A and Boeing 737-600/700/800 and 900.