The much-anticipated direct flights between India and the Philippines are expected to take off within this year.
During the celebration of India Republic Day in Taguig City on Monday, 27th January, Indian ambassador to the Philippines Shri Harsh Kumar Jain remarked on how bilateral relations could grow this year in light of the likely commencement of direct flights between the two countries in the next few months.
India’s flag-carrier Air India and low-cost carrier IndiGo are being eyed to cater the non-stop flights.
Welcoming initiatives
This comes just as the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) rolled out new measures to tap into Indian outbound tourism as it recalibrates to meet targets amid a decline in Chinese arrivals.
The Philippines previously launched the e-Visa system for Indians nationals and is also working to come out with an action plan specific to the India-Philippine tourism relations.
At the same event, tourism secretary Christina Frasco said flights between Manila and New Delhi are indeed possible in 2025 based on the feedback from ongoing negotiations.
Frasco said: “The reports given to me emanating from the Department of Transportation is that there is a very big possibility that it will be within this year and that the flight will land in Manila.”
