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India's Madhya Pradesh offers airlines Dh66,000 per trip to resume direct Dubai flight
The proposal comes nearly a year after Air India Express discontinued its Indore–Dubai flight, which had launched in March 2023
Indian expats disheartened by the discontinuation of the lone direct flight to Madhya Pradesh from Dubai last year could soon be in luck — the central Indian state is looking to lure airlines back with per-trip incentives.
The Madhya Pradesh government is considering offering up to Rs1.5 million (around Dh66,000) per flight to airlines operating direct international services from the state to destinations currently without such connectivity, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav told Khaleej Times on Monday during his Dubai visit.
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The plan is part of the state’s forthcoming Civil Aviation Policy, which aims to boost global access from Madhya Pradesh, home to cities like Indore, Bhopal, and Gwalior. “We are deliberating the fine print. We hope the incentive will attract airlines to explore new international routes from Madhya Pradesh,” Yadav said.
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The proposal comes nearly a year after Air India Express discontinued its Indore–Dubai flight, which had launched in March 2023. Currently, the low-cost carrier operates four flights a week between Sharjah and Indore. There are no direct flights to Bhopal, the state’s capital.
Yadav’s visit to Dubai was aimed at strengthening trade, tourism, and industrial ties between Madhya Pradesh and the UAE. “We’ve had some very productive meetings with key stakeholders across multiple sectors,” he told Khaleej Times.
Over two packed days, the chief minister met with Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; Arab Parliament President Mohammed Al Yamahi; and several top Indian-origin business leaders based in the Emirates," according to a press release.
"We are looking to position Madhya Pradesh as a rising global investment hub, particularly in renewable energy, textiles, logistics, electric vehicles, and food processing," he said.
One of the outcomes was an agreement to set up a permanent coordination mechanism at the Indian Embassy level to ensure continuous engagement between Madhya Pradesh and the UAE.
Indian Consul General Satish Kumar Sivan will serve as a key liaison to facilitate direct engagement between the state’s industries department and Dubai-based investors.
Yadav also made a strong pitch for UAE participation in Madhya Pradesh’s plug-and-play industrial parks, including the PM Mitra Park for textiles in Dhar, medical and electronics clusters in Ujjain and Bhopal, and various renewable energy zones.
Mazhar Farooqui
Mazhar Farooqui, or Maz, is a multiple award-winning investigative journalist and Senior Editor at Khaleej Times. Renowned for exposing corruption and uncovering major scams, he is also the author of The Maz Files: Scoops, Scams & Showdowns.
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