A possible establishment of direct air service between Ireland and India is among the key actions being explored to improve connectivity between both nations, according to a report in Business Post.
The proposal, part of a draft action plan, follows a meeting between India’s foreign minister, S Jaishankar, and Tánaiste Simon Harris in Dublin earlier today.
As of now, no direct flights operate between both nations, despite growing demand from the Indian diaspora, which numbers over 80,000 — making it the third-largest immigrant group in Ireland after Polish and British nationals.
Dublin City Councillor Supriya Singh also raised the matter during a meeting with Jaishankar at the University College of Dublin on Thursday. She emphasised the need for a direct flight between Dublin and New Delhi, pointing out that the travel between the two capitals currently takes more than 18 hours due to layovers. In contrast, London benefits from a direct flight to New Delhi that takes just 9.5 hours.
She further stated that Minister Jaishankar has acknowledged the challenges faced by airlines but assured that he would discuss the feasibility of a direct Dublin-New Delhi route with airline operators and explore possible solutions.
On the trade front, economic ties between Ireland and India continue to strengthen. In 2023, the total trade between the two nations reached €16 billion, a significant increase from approximately €10 billion in 2022.
Following their bilateral meeting, Jaishankar and Harris agreed to set up a Joint Economic Commission (JEC), which will serve as a vehicle to enhance internal cooperation and coordination between both nations.
The meeting was particularly significant as it marked the first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Ireland and was the first high-level political visit from India since the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.
Also read: Ireland, India to establish Joint Economic Commission after Jaishankar-Harris talks in Dublin