AirAsia Pleased To Be Part Of PM's Visit To India

KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 (Bernama) -- AirAsia Group announced that it was pleased to be part of Prime Minister Najib Razak's visit to India, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Malaysia. AirAsia Bhd Executive Chairman/AirAsia X Group Chief Executive Officer, Kamarudin Meranun said as a key member of Malaysian India Business Council, AirAsia was pleased to be invited to be part of the delegation, and participate in the business forum which was co-organised by Confederation of Indian Industry. In a statement Tuesday, Kamarudin said the group provided inputs on various matters which were key to facilitate social economic development, trade investments and tourism between both countries; vital elements in providing immediate contribution to the economy. "We applaud Prime Minister Najib’s announcement of multiple entry eVisa valid for 15 days as there is an urgent need to encourage Visa-free travel for Indians and Malaysians," he said. Kamarudin said this good news would certainly encourage tourists travelling between both countries and contribute to higher receipts from travel and tourism, which would then provide immediate contribution to economic growth. "We are also pleased with the review of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between India and Malaysia, and we would like to record our sincere appreciation to the Indian government for expanding the number of slots for Malaysian carriers to operate between the two countries. "AirAsia, as a group, operates 109 international flights weekly to 13 destinations in India, which is relatively small compared with the size of the country," said Kamarudin. He said the group looked forward to working closely with Tourism Malaysia and India to grow tourist arrivals, on both end, as AirAsia aimed to provide wider connectivity between India, Malaysia and ASEAN. "We at AirAsia can provide the connectivity to enable other industries to develop, grow and prosper especially in the tourism, infrastructure, health, education, as well as, socio-economic ties," added Kamarudin. A joint venture by two large conglomerates, AirAsia India is in its growth phase. Welcoming its ninth Airbus A320, the airline recently announced Kolkata as its third hub that would connect to Ranchi and from there on to New Delhi. AirAsia India, has three hubs within the country, namely Bengaluru, New Delhi and Kolkata. Najib is on a six-day official visit to India from March 30 to April 4. -- BERNAMA