India signs aviation agreements with Greece, Rwanda

India and Greece would operate air services to six destinations in both the countries without restricting the number of carriers. While Indian carriers would fly to Athens, Thessaloniki, HerakIion and any three destinations to be specified later, Greek aviation companies can fly services to New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Read: India's domestic aviation market trends in January 2017

The agreement was accorded formal approval by the Union Cabinet at a meeting on Wednesday (February 22). It also approved signing of an agreement with Australia to strengthen security in civil aviation.

The services would boost bilateral trade and investment, besides enhancing cultural exchanges and driving tourism in both the countries, according to an official statement released by India.

Indian carriers that would be eligible to fly include Air India, Jet Airways, IndiGo and Jet Airways while the aviation space in Greece comprises Aegean Airlines, Amjet Executive SA, Astra Airlines and Aviator Airways.

Aegean Airlines acquired Olympic Air in a €72-million deal in October 2013. Currently, it has a fleet of 61 aircraft and connects 145 destinations, including 112 in 40 countries.

India-Rwanda civil aviation 

Last week, India entered into an agreement with the African country Rwanda. Under the agreement, the first service between Kigali, capital of Rwanda and Mumbai, the financial capital of Mumbai, from April this year. 

"RwandAir, the national carrier of the Republic of Rwanda is pleased to announce that flights to Harare in Zimbabwe and Mumbai in India will commence on 1st and 3rd April 2017 respectively...the Mumbai flights will be operated non-stop four times per week," the company said in a media statement.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari's visit

Hamid Ansari, India's vice-president, is currently on a official visit to Rwanda and Uganda. In Kigali, he spoke about the robust bilateral relations while addressing the India-Rwanda Business Forum organised jointly by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Rwanda Development Board on Tuesday (Feb 21).

"Rwanda today offers a range of prospects to foreign investors, including in renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, tourism, and information and communications technology. Our bilateral relations are marked by cordiality, convergence of views and cooperation on major international issues. Bilateral trade and investments have shown a healthy rise. Trade between India and Rwanda has been gradually increasing over the last few years," he was quoted as saying in an official statement. 

India-Rwanda bilateral trade is worth about $106 million.

Ansari also paid tributes to the victims of the 1994 genocide that saw massacre of 2,50,000 people.