An Etihad Airways delegation, led by Etihad Chief Executive, James Hogan, arrived in New Delhi, India, to meet with key civil aviation officials and trade partners in the nation’s capital.

Mr Hogan met with the Indian Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Vyalar Ravi and other authorities in the capital to discuss growth opportunities in the Indian aviation market.

Mr Hogan said: “India is a cornerstone market and the largest market we serve, with eight destinations. The scope of our Indian operation today reflects the historic ties between the UAE and India, and is also indicative of the great potential for the region and our confidence in its future growth.

“We see enormous opportunity to expand and diversify our services in light of the unique mix of traffic and both countries’ growing position as world-class business and holiday destinations.

“We appreciate the support of the Indian government and our positive partnership with Indian civil aviation authorities, without whose support this growth would not be possible. We look forward to continued cooperation.”

The airline will host a cocktail reception for trade partners and corporate guests at the Imperial Hotel. The event will also be attended by renowned Bollywood actress and Etihad Brand ambassador, Katrina Kaif, who is in town to launch the airline’s “Next Stop Bollywood” online dance competition.

During the visit, the airline also announced the extension of its luxury chauffeur services in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, enhancing the travel experience for premium passengers on the ground.

With the addition of the airline’s newly launched operations to Bangalore, Etihad now flies to eight Indian destinations including New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Kochi, with 49 flights to India per week.