India and the U.S. recently opened yet another avenue of economic engagement by undertaking collaborations in the field of aviation and energy under the U.S.-India Energy and Aviation Cooperation Programme.
Continuing its support for closer cooperation in the aviation industry, the United States Trade Development Authority (USTDA) will provide a grant to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for a Performance Based Navigation Project to assist India in adopting technology to increase aviation airspace capacity and energy efficiency.
The assistance will demonstrate how performance-based navigation procedures can be developed, certified and implemented within India’s aviation environment. The procedure design process will be undertaken with AAI, in coordination with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and piloted by airline operators at airports in Mangalore, Guwahati and Bangalore. This project will be undertaken by Naverus, a GE subsidiary.
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A technical, management and operational development training programme with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is also underway. The programme will offer industry-based training to assist India in developing regulatory and safety capacities. U.S.-based companies Hi-Tec, Pratt and Whitney, Honeywell, and Universal Weather and Aviation have committed to support the programme and will provide training on a range of new technologies and practices being adopted in international aviation.
“By engaging with our partners in cooperative programs like these, USTDA leverages the expertise of the U.S. private sector to support India’s infrastructure development priorities,” USTDA director Leocadia Zak said.
Both countries also concluded two energy sector grants, and witnessed a contract signing with Indian stakeholders. USTDA concluded a $692,000 grant agreement with Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) to prepare a detailed planning and procurement document for the implementation of a Smart Grid Test Bed project in Bangalore. The test bed, which will consist of an integrated Interoperability Laboratory and Smart Grid Technology Demonstration Center, will allow CPRI to research and perform controlled evaluations of a variety of integrated Smart Grid technologies. The technical assistance will facilitate the adoption of Smart Grid pilot projects as well as the full-scale deployment of Smart Grid technologies where U.S. companies have competitive strengths across India’s power sector.
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