In a speech made in the presence of Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Honorable Minister of Civil Aviation of India, Ambassador highlighted first the thriving partnership between the Czech Republic and India in a number of areas, including trade, investment, tourism, education and cultural exchanges.

Moving on to the aviation sector, he pointed out to its increasingly important role in the economy of the Czech Republic. The sector, comprising the airlines together with the airports, navigation and other essential grounds services, contributes nearly one per cent to Czech GDP and supports more than thirty thousand high productivity jobs.  More than 12 million passengers and 85 000 tons of freight travelled to, from and with 91 Czech civil airports in 2014. Out of total number of airports, 24 can pride themselves in having international airport status.

Commenting on the significance of the air cargo, Ambassador mentioned that it helped Czech exporters to open-up long distance foreign markets, increase competitiveness, and meet their clients´ delivery requirements. 

More than 12 million passengers and 85 000 tons of freight travelled to, from and with 91 Czech civil airports in 2014. Out of total number of airports, 24 can pride themselves in having international airport status.

Ambassador also shared his views on how the competence, skill and knowledge of Czech based companies could help India´s authorities transform their visions and plans, contained in the 2015 Draft Civil Aviation Policy, into reality.  He recalled that the Czech is one of those few countries which preserved their capacity to design and produce small aircrafts capable of operating even on short unpaved runways, deliveries of which to India would perfectly fit the purpose of putting small towns on aviation map and bringing e-commerce to remote areas.

He was also convinced that Czech companies could help solve the perceived problem of lack of sufficient air infrastructure in India by partnering local businesses in building small airports, including mobile airports, and equipping them with up-to-date navigation and control systems and other leading edge technologies technologies such as airport lights and signs and others.

Development of a single window clearance system was another area mentioned by Ambassador. The Czech Republic excelled itself with the efficiency of effectiveness of customs procedures and would be perfectly ready to share its experience with Indian counterparts. Last but not least, envoy Hovorka recalled that Czech Republic-India partnership was prevented from having access to the gains of connectivity as there was no direct civil aviation between the two countries. Since there has been no progress since abolishment of direct air link in 1991, it would be one of his priorities to help create environment in which business operators would find it interesting to reintroduce it on the earliest convenience.

Ambassador Hovorka concluded that he would be pleased to work under the able guidance of the Honorable Minister Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju with a view to exploring the ways and means of deepening the Czech Republic – India aviation partnership.