New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) There is no move now to amend the bilateral air traffic agreements with Gulf nations even though the CAG has concluded that the high-yielding routes of Air India in this sector were frittered away, official sources said today. However, the government is reviewing the existing air services agreements (ASAs) with nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), with a view to expand them to ensure seamless multi-modal travel within the region, official sources said. There is no move as of now to review the ASAs in respect of the Gulf nations, despite severe criticism by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report tabled in Parliament last week, the sources said. While it was not possible to go back on a treaty signed with a foreign country unless it expires, these ASAs with the Gulf countries have serious financial and diplomatic implications, they said. The CAG had recommended strict freeze on bilateral agreements with the Gulf countries as their airlines were making full use of the 6th Freedom rights to fly Indian travellers to Europe and the US. Under 6th Freedom, an airline can carry passengers from one foreign country to another with a stopover at its home country. For example, a UAE carrier can pick up a traveller from Mumbai and take him to Washington via Dubai. The CAG had castigated the government that such agreements were entered into without giving time and space to Indian carriers to set their houses in order, thereby adversely affecting their interests. On the expansion of ASAs with SAARC nations, they said a new idea of providing a combined rail-road-air-waterway ticket, in line with the seamless travel arrangement provided in Europe, was being considered.
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