Canada has announced an expanded air transport agreement with India that will allow designated airlines to operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The previous agreement limited each country to 35 flights per week.

This government says the move will allow airlines of Canada and India to better respond to the needs of the Canada-India market, which is Canada’s fourth-largest international air transport market.

The agreement gives Canadian air carriers access to Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, and Indian air carriers access to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver and two additional points to be selected by India.

Other cities in both countries can be served indirectly through code-share services. Rights for all-cargo services are already unrestricted.

Canada's first air transport agreement with India was concluded in 1982, and was last expanded in 2011. This new agreement was reached under Canada's Blue Sky policy, which encourages long-term, sustainable competition and the development of international air services.

The new rights under the expanded agreement are available for use by airlines immediately.

"The expanded air transport agreement between Canada and India is a positive development for air transport relations between our countries,” said Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Minister of Transport.

“We are pleased to expand this relationship with additional flexibility for airlines to serve this growing market. By making the movement of goods and people faster and easier, this expanded agreement will continue to facilitate trade and investment between Canada and India and help our businesses grow and succeed."