New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday held a meeting with Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu to discuss key areas of collaboration aimed at improving connectivity, enhancing logistics efficiency and strengthening seamless mobility.

Sharing details about the meeting in a social media post, Goyal said the discussions focused on strengthening coordination between the commerce and civil aviation sectors to support India’s growing trade ecosystem.

“Met with the Union Minister of Civil Aviation @RamMNK today. Discussed key areas of collaboration to boost connectivity, enhance logistics efficiency, and strengthen seamless mobility to support India’s expanding trade ecosystem,” Goyal said in a post on X.

The meeting comes at a time when India’s aviation sector is facing increasing operational and financial pressure due to supply constraints caused by the West Asia conflict.

Indian airlines are currently dealing with sharp increases in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices following the spike in global crude oil prices triggered by geopolitical tensions in the region.

The conflict has also disrupted normal flight operations as several airlines are being forced to avoid restricted airspaces and take longer alternate routes for international operations.

These diversions have increased fuel consumption and operational costs for carriers, adding pressure on airline profitability and flight schedules.

The aviation industry has been witnessing rising concerns over elevated operating expenses as ATF remains one of the biggest cost components for airlines.

The situation has also raised concerns regarding logistics costs and cargo movement, especially for international trade and export-linked sectors that depend on air connectivity. (ANI)