INDIA'S AVIATION SECTOR SET TO TAKE OFF IN 2010

By P.Vijian

NEW DELHI, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- India is hosting an international aviation
exhibition next month which the country hopes will spur its domestic airline
industry that suffered a sluggish growth last year following the global economic
downturn.

The second edition of Indian Aviation 2010 in Hyderadab from March 3 to 7 is
expected to draw 115 international exhibitors including aerospace giants like
Airbus, Boeing, Eurocopter, GE Aviation and Hawker Beechcraft.

The event is jointly organised by the Aviation Ministry and the Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

"This is an international event and it would certainly benefit India's
aviation sector. Whatever plans that were put in the backburner last year will
be carried out in 2010," said Aviation Minister Praful Patel.

India's aviation sector ranked ninth largest, valued at US$5.6 billion
(RM19.6 billion), in 2008 and it is slowly taking off as domestic and
international traffic volume picks up.

The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation has predicted that domestic traffic
would rise by 25 to 30 per cent in 2010, while international traffic 15 per
cent.
-- BERNAMA