The inclusion of the Gulf and the south-east Asian carriers in the offer is indicative of the fact that the government is looking at a more liberal policy in terms of flight rights.
The decision comes in the wake of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's recent announcement of such a policy for the Asean nations. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Rajiv Pratap Rudy also announced that the government was working on a comprehensive open bilateral policy.