In New Delhi, a landmark conference has resulted in 29 Asia Pacific nations to commit to The Delhi Declaration, which sets to make future aviation sustainable and reduce its negative impact on the environment. The high-level Ministerial conference named, The Delhi Declaration, has set ambitious targets for the future in an area that is seeing fast growth in the aviation sector. “This declaration is a roadmap for the future of aviation in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions,” said ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano. “It demonstrates a collective will to embrace innovation while prioritising safety, security, and environmental responsibility.”
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), co-hosted the event with the Government of India. Over 200 delegates were gathered to discuss commitments and reflect on the aviation industry while addressing sustainability. Those in attendance included 12 ministers, eight Deputy/Vice Ministers and 24 directors general of civil aviation. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, also attended the conference, with his presence demonstrating that aviation is a critical component of the nation’s economic development.
The Delhi Declaration underscores the commitment to work collaboratively with regional partners to overcome the challenges the pandemic posed and build a stronger, safer, and more dynamic aviation sector. It aims to address the increasing demand for air travel and to concentrate on the future development and infrastructure of airports amidst rapid airline growth. This commitment follows the first Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in 2018, held in China, which concluded with the Beijing Declaration. The Beijing Declaration set the foundation for States to work together to achieve shared commitments and take necessary actions to address the challenges faced by the aviation sector.
While some of the commitments outlined in the Beijing Declaration made satisfactory progress, most targets related to safety and navigation had not met expectations. The shortfall was primarily due to the pandemic, which plunged the global civil aviation sector into a severe crisis.
The commitment from the Asia Pacific Region to foster collaboration on a unified platform to orchestrate regional aviation growth is embodied in the Delhi Declaration, which replaces the Beijing Declaration. The conference also endorsed commitments to jointly improve aviation security, infrastructure, gender equality and airspace management.
A key focus of the Delhi Declaration is accelerating efforts to reduce aviation’s environmental impact. This commitment was symbolically underscored by India’s initiative to plant 80,000 trees commemorating ICAO’s 80th anniversary. The declaration also emphasises the critical role of accelerating progress towards gender equality in the sector. India leads with 15% of its pilots being women, triple the global average. However, further efforts are needed to ensure gender equity in aviation across the region and to meet the human resource demands of the sector’s rapid expansion.
The Declaration outlines several key commitments, including:
• Supporting the implementation of ICAO’s global plans for safety, air navigation, and aviation security • Accelerating the adoption of new technologies to enhance safety and efficiency • Investing in infrastructure to support sustainable growth and emerging aviation concepts • Promoting gender equality across all levels of the aviation sector • Reducing emissions and other environmental impacts of aviation • Enhancing regional cooperation in air traffic management, search & rescue and aviation security.
The Declaration reaffirms support and continues efforts towards realising the commitments of the prior Beijing Declaration. These commitments come at a crucial time for the aviation industry, which is rebounding from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing increasing pressure to address its environmental footprint. The outcomes of this conference will significantly shape ICAO’s work programme and will inform discussions at the upcoming 42nd Session of the ICAO Assembly in 2025, where global aviation policies will be refined and adopted.
The Delhi Declaration is available to read here.
