New Delhi

India has been re-elected to the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with a stronger mandate, the civil aviation ministry said on Tuesday.

The country secured more votes as compared to the 2022 elections, reflecting the growing confidence among Member States in its leadership and commitment to international civil aviation, the ministry said.

India has been re-elected to Part II of the Council of ICAO, a specialised UN agency. Part II comprises states making the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for international civil air navigation.

The election took place on September 27 during the 42nd ICAO Assembly Session, which is being held in Montreal, Canada.

The 36-member ICAO Council, elected by the 193 member states during the Assembly, serves as the governing body for a three-year term. The ICAO Assembly, convened every three years, is the organisation's sovereign body, comprising all 193 signatory states to the Chicago Convention.

Earlier this month, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu sought the support of member states for India's candidature for re-election for the 2025-2028 term.

"Supporting this effort, the Ministry of External Affairs, through continuous engagement with other member states, reaffirmed India's strong commitment to the objectives of ICAO. The MEA's diplomatic outreach strengthened India's campaign for the ICAO Council elections. The Representative of India (ROI) at ICAO headquarters also actively canvassed support for India's re-election," the release said.

India has been a founding member of ICAO since 1944 and has been present in the Council for 81 years.

"It continues to play a pivotal role in advancing ICAO's mission to promote safe, secure, sustainable, harmonised, and gender-inclusive international civil aviation. India is actively engaged in policy development, regulatory frameworks, and international aviation standards," the release said.

During his visit to Montreal, Naidu held bilateral meetings with representatives of other member states and engaged with global aviation industry stakeholders.

For the 2025-2028 term, the ministry said India is committed to strengthening international aviation safety, security, and sustainability, promoting equitable growth in air connectivity, advancing technology and innovation and supporting ICAO's 'No Country Left Behind initiative'.

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India is one of the world's fastest-growing civil aviation markets.