Saudi Arabia (SA) has been the talk of the town ever since it has been embroiled in an international embargo due to the alleged human rights violations in the country. It is also important to note that the country has now exploded onto the global stage with an incredibly progressive young prince Muhammed bin Salman taking the throne earlier this year. Many questions have arisen amongst the public regarding the fate of international flights to and from India via Saudi.
Saudi Arabia’s open-minded approach in deal making has led to a number of international agreements being signed in the past, however due to some of the international pressures on Saudi to move away from certain international relations, the rules when it comes to international flights has been made unclear. Most of SA’s agreements with neighboring countries when it comes to aviation are classified as “private” and therefore go unannounced.
The decision to allow flights in and out of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from India comes down entirely to its Ministry of Transport. The argument for allowing flights is strong, as the Saudi government recognizes the astronomical amounts of daily travelers between the two countries, and the large various business opportunities that exist. With the country’s plans to open up to the world, they hope to see more international flights happening.
Recently, the President of The Chamber of Commerce in India, Sunil Bansal, wrote a letter to the Saudi Ministry of Transport to try and get clarity on the situation. His letter highlighted the potential positives of the agreement, and made strong statements for both countries to take advantage of mutual benefits of the partnership.
Air India, the national flag bearer from India, has also been in talks with the Saudi government to open up the skies and has poured its resources into the project. As a result, Saudi government have also stated that they are open for discussions with India in a bid to allow the flights to happen but have not yet given any concrete decision.
Many people have speculated on the advantages of the operation, such as a more efficient international travel system for both countries; a much smoother experience for students from the region who travel just for education; and a greater potential to generate revenue from people traveling for business purposes and to attend events.
Experts have also demonstrated their support for the idea of Indian flights to Saudi. Dr. Sean Robinson, an aviation lawyer, believes that “the existence of a direct flight from India to Saudi would create a well connected travel route that allows people to make the most of the cross-national opportunities both countries have to offer.”
However, there are two sides to every coin and some potential risks have been highlighted by analysts. Saudi’s visa-on-arrival policy which caters primarily to investors has led to apprehensions about the security protocols in place at the airports, as it allows a large influx of Indian travelers with minimal background checks.
Travel Times & Costs
The most frequent question in everyone’s minds is about the travel times and the costs associated with traveling to India from Saudi. To direct flights from India would mean reducing the long transit times, allowing the travelers more time to work, rest or simply explore. With the risk of long transit times eliminated, travelers can book on a timely schedule and the demand for the service can increase drastically.
This could be beneficial for India’s travel industry as well, providing more flights and a larger consumer base based on Saudi travelers and potentially those from neighboring countries. Analysis has indicated that Indians travelling to Saudi spend a lot of money on leisure activities during their trips due to the significant amount of disposable income amongst Saudis in comparison to their Indian counterparts.
This increased spending power of Saudi travelers gives Indian tourism a potential boost, presenting the country with a rare business opportunity to invest in the nation’s tourism industry, resulting in various growth opportunities for businesses associated with it.
Additionally, the mutual and reciprocal exchange of flights would result in the development of direct family and business relationships between Saudi and Indian travelers, furthering the level of cross-border cooperation and acceleration of the globalization process.
Analysts have estimated that if flights are allowed, airfare from India to Saudi is likely to come down too. Most of the current cost of airfare is attributed to long stopovers and transit times. Removing the excessive transit time would likely bring down the fares, making travel more affordable. This would mean the introduction of a whole new budget travel market which would benefit travelers from both countries.
Environmental Impact
Environmental issues has been a major concern in the region for some time, with the Middle East facing some of the toughest issues in terms of air quality. With a significantly higher population living below the poverty line, illegal burning of wood, oil and other substances contribute heavily to air pollution in Saudi, as well as the many other countries in the region. This has raised major concerns about the effect of allowing flights going back and forth.
Experts believe that air pollution from aircrafts greatly contributes to global warming due to emission of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Some of the proposed measures for reducing aircrafts’ environmental impact include shifting to electric aircrafts and the use of biofuels.
That said, chemical exhaust emitted by internal flights is significantly lower in comparison to road transport due to the possibly higher flight frequency. This means that most of the pollution caused by road transport would be reduced due to a higher number of people flying rather than driving. To put this into perspective, roads are estimated to contribute to 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while aviation is only responsible for 2%.
In conclusion, it is highly likely that the Saudi government will put the interests of their citizens and the economy first and make a decision to allow flights from India to Saudi. An immense potential for growth and betterment exists in this partnership if the government of Saudi commits to it.
Future Prospects
With the flight between India and Saudi being made a reality, many speculate the potential benefits the two countries stand to gain. Foremost among them is the immense potential for trade and commerce. As India is one of the world’s largest markets, it stands to gain significance in the Middle East. Direct flights will help boost relations and open up a number of possibilities.
The oil trade is another area that is likely to gain from this initiative. India and Saudi are both major oil producers and are currently ranked as the third and fourth largest oil producers in the world respectively. Trade agreements between India and Saudi regarding routing of crude oil and petroleum products is likely to be implemented if direct flights between the two countries commence, providing a greater degree of flexibility for buyers over existing routes.
Tourism is another prospect the two countries stand to gain a lot from. India is one of the most spiritual and culturally rich countries in the world and with direct flights between the two countries, the prospect for religious tourism options opens up.
Growth in mutual investments between the two countries is another potential outcome. Currently, foreign direct investments from India to Saudi are estimated to amount to about $2–3 billion. However, with direct flights becoming a regular affair, this figure stands to change significantly.
The possibility of broader foreign direct investments and the development of joint ventures and business associations through more effective networking opportunities in terms of M&A activities is likely to go up. Bilateral trade as a whole stands to gain from companies of the two countries entering into a strategic alliance, optimizing their business potential and capitalizing on mutual gains.
Regulations & Procedures
If the Saudi government decides to allow flights from India to take off, a number of regulatory procedures surrounding international travel and tourism will need to be put in place. These regulations are crucial when it comes to international flights; border control measures, visa requirements and so on. In order for Indian flights to be allowed to take off, both governments will have to implement a long list of safety protocols and security measures.
The government of India is likely to update their regulations for international travel in order to accommodate travelers from the Middle East. In addition, multiple security and safety checks and clearances have to be granted by both governments before allowing the flights to take off. The governments also need to agree to align and adopt certain international standards in the aviation sector in order for the flights to be allowed to take off.
India and Saudi are in the process of working out the procedures for allowing direct international flights between the two countries. The Federal Civil Aviation Authority of Saudi, for instance, has already penned a draft of regulation, outlining the safety protocols that would need to be enforced in order to allow Indian flights to take off. This includes, but is not limited to, a number of license requirements, aircraft type and size approvals and approval from the air traffic control authorities.
Political Relations
It is important to take into consideration the political relations between India and Saudi when looking at the prospects of flights from India to Saudi. Currently, the two countries maintain good diplomatic relations and have a strategic partnership in place. This has enabled both nations to cooperate on various regional and global issues.
With Saudi Arabia’s progressive young crown prince, Mohammed Bin Salman taking the throne, it is speculated that the country may be willing to make certain reforms in some aspects of its foreign policy in order to build on its diplomatic ties with India. The crown prince’s expressions of commitment to the vision of Saudi Arabia and his interactions with India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, have been thoroughly noted and respected among the public.
The two countries are not only strengthening diplomatic ties, but are also strengthening business partnerships. This has enabled them to engage in much more active discussions and cooperation when it comes to cooperation in the areas of trade and investment. The possibility of direct flights between India and Saudi will further enable the two countries to strengthen their economic ties, allowing more business opportunities and investments.
Conclusion
Overall, there are plenty of benefits to both countries if direct flights from India to Saudi Arabia become a reality. Experts are hopeful that the positive outcome of such a situation is almost certain, as it could result in mutual growth of both countries in terms of business, trade, investments and tourism.
As the two countries have already taken the steps towards welcoming a new era of cooperation between India and Saudi, the decision to allow direct flights from India to Saudi appears to be an inevitability. However, the Saudi government will need to make their decision soon in order for this potential to come into fruition.
