Travel India News

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) was established by the Department of Information Technology, Govt. of India in January 2004 with a specific mandate to respond to computer security incidents. With the passage of Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008, CERT-In has been designated as Nodal agency for coordinating all matters related to cyber security and emergency response. It is now assigned with the task of oversight of the Indian cyber space for enhancing cyber protection, enabling security compliance and assurance in Government and critical sectors and facilitating early warning & response as well as information sharing and cooperation.

Within few years of existence, CERT-In has been able to establish itself as a trusted referral agency with necessary capabilities to respond to cyber security incidents.  In the process, CERT-In has been able to get into working relationships with all the leading security organizations and vendors across the world in the form of MoU, to achieve the necessary force multiplier effect in responding to cyber security incidents.  In addition, specific capabilities have been developed to engage itself in effective cyber forensic as well as analysis of malicious codes.

CERT-In has published a Crisis Management Plan for Countering Cyber Attacks and Cyber Terrorism in the country and is working towards its implementation across Govt. and critical sectors in the country.  In order to support the organizations in the critical sector and the Government in enhancing their ability to resist cyber attacks and improving their security posture, CERT-In has created a panel of IT security auditors that can provide wide range of security auditing services on commercial basis. With this kind of institution building activities, CERT-In is now able to provide its reactive and proactive services on 24×7 basis and is effectively collaborating the international agencies engaged in similar work for real time information sharing and problem resolution in the cyber space.

In order to effectively secure the Indian cyber space, CERT-In is assisting the Department of Information Technology to put in place a national cyber security strategy and a national information security governance policy.  The elements of national cyber security strategy are:

• Security legal framework and law-enforcement
• Security early warning and response
• Security compliance and assurance
• Security education awareness and training
• Security technology R&D
• Security information sharing and cooperation

In pursuit of the cyber security strategy, CERT-In has been working towards Preventing cyber attacks against country’s critical information infrastructure; Reducing national vulnerability of cyber attacks and Minimizing damage and recovery time from cyber attacks.

Specific challenges in securing the cyber space are:

• Reaching out to the user community in creating necessary awareness on the need for cyber security and also on the need for them to play their roles in a responsible manner.
• Sharing of information with CERT-In with regard to the occurrence of cyber security incidents to enable better preparation and prevention.
• Overcoming the technical and legal barriers to move beyond our country’s borders to reach the sources of trouble - Most serious cyber crimes such as economic fraud, cyber terrorism and cyber war fare are invariably perpetrated from sources located outside the country using networks of compromised computers located both inside and outside the country.  Since the sources of trouble are outside the country, invariably there would be technical and legal challenges to deal with and actually getting to the root of the problem. For this purpose, increased international cooperation is the need of the hour and CERT-In has been able establish good working relationships with international organizations such as AP CERT & Forum of Incident response (FIRST, US) and overseas CERTs.

For ensuring safety and security of cyber space, it is not only necessary to have an effective incident response mechanism such as the one already established by CERT-In, but also develop suitable ability and mechanism to harness real time information on the cyber security incidents even before they occur.  In view of this, future roadmap of CERT-In includes real time incidents information collection, analysis and dissemination for effective security incidents prevention and protection. With this, it would be possible for CERT-In to provide tailored security advisories to the users community in the country enabling them to take timely and effective preventive actions. (PIB Features)

One of the world’s oldest religious gatherings may become the world’s biggest this year as the Hindu faithful carry forward a tradition first recorded in the Vedas.

Every 12 years, millions gather at Haridwar — the gateway to the abode of Lord Shiva in the Himalayas — for the Mahakumbh Mela in a show of faith that is rivalled only by the Mahakumbh Mela at Prayag (in Allahabad), the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers.

The belief has not only been sustained over millennia but has grown, as the rest of the world — from Huang Tsang in the seventh century to Mark Twain in the 19th to many more in the 20th — has looked on amazed.

The BBC described the 2001 Maha Kumbh Mela at Allahabad the biggest religious gathering in the world — with 60 million people. Hardwar is set to surpass that figure this year, with 70 million expected.

What draws the layman among the Hindu faithful is a drop of immortality. In Hindu mythology, the Kumbh Mela traces its origin to the Samudra Manthana — the churning of the primordial ocean — described in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

When the churning brought up the kumbh (pot) of amrit, the nectar of immortality, the gods had to safeguard it from the demons. Lord Vishnu’s carrier Garuda the king of eagles flew away with the elixir. Four drops spilled on four places — Hardwar, Prayag, Ujjain and Nashik — where the Kumbh Mela is held to this day.

The symbology is of the triumph of good over evil and the beginning of a prosperous cycle in the world. To be a part of it, there is no better time than to bathe in the holy Ganga during a Maha Kumbh Mela.

While it is a religious fair (mela) in every sense of the term for the laiety, it is a very important theological gathering for the priesthood. The Kumbh Mela is when the numerous sects of Hindu priests come together to discuss and debate scriptures, to meet their lay devotees, to formally initiate recruits into their akharas (sects) and of course for the holy dip in the river.

It was such a gathering that Chinese traveller and historian Huang Tsang chronicled during his travels in India 629-645 AD during the reign of king Harshavardhana. The tradition was already many hundreds of years old, he was told.

It came from the time of the Vedas, when religious gatherings were held on the banks of rivers.

For many sadhus — especially those from the Naga (naked) sects — the Kumbh Mela may be the only time they interact with other people. Little wonder that the sight of hundreds of dreadlocked and ash-smeared naked sadhus — many armed with spears, tridents, swords and sticks — marching down to the river in their hundreds evokes an equal mixture of fear, reverence and curiosity among the thousands who gather to watch.

Mark Twain wrote after visiting a Kumbh Mela in 1895: “Kumbh Mela is the most sacred of all pilgrimages. Thousands of holy men and women attend the fair and the auspiciousness of the festival is attributed to this. The sadhus are clad in saffron and some of them are called Naga Sanyasis. They are seen without clothes even in winter and generally lead an extreme lifestyle.” (Source: Sindh Today)

1. Statistics of Growth in the current year:
The foreign tourist arrivals (FTA) to India up to the month of November 2009 decreased by 6.3% over the arrivals for the same period in 2008.   The cumulative arrival figures for the period January to November 2009 reached   4.54 million. The downward growth is due to global economic slowdown, terrorist activities, H1N1 influenza pandemic, etc. The important source countries were US, UK, Canada, France, Germany and Japan.

The number of domestic tourist visits increased from 527 million in 2007 to 563 million in 2008.

The Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) from the tourism sector were Rs. 47918.00 crores during the period January-November 2009, an increase of 5.0% over the corresponding period in 2008.

2. Infrastructure Development:
Infrastructure development holds the key to India’s sustained growth in the tourism sector. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism has been making efforts to develop quality tourism infrastructure at tourist destinations and circuits. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 94 projects for an amount of Rs.394.85 crores for infrastructure augmentation including rural tourism projects in the year 2009-10 (up to November 09).

The Ministry has launched a scheme for development of nationally and internationally important destinations and circuits through Mega Projects. To date 29 mega projects have already been identified and of these 21 projects have been sanctioned. In the current year, the Ministry has sanctioned mega projects in Madhya Pradesh at Chitrakooot, as Spiritual and Wellness Destination for an amount of Rs.2401.98 lakhs. The mega projects are a judicious mix of culture, heritage, spiritual and ecotourism in order to give tourists a holistic perspective.

Ministry of Tourism is also taking initiatives with other Central Govt. Ministries, such as Railways, Civil Aviation, Road Transport & Highways, Food Processing and Urban Development and also the concerned State Governments to achieve convergence and synergy with their programmes so that the impact of investment on these destinations is maximized.

Other initiatives:

* In the workshop on World Class Tourism Infrastructure organized in the Ministry of Tourism on August 19, 2009 it was decided that the Ministry will meet the expenditure on the architect’s fee upto 2% of the project cost which could be included in the cost estimates.

* Ministry of Tourism has issued the guidelines for facilitating construction of heliport as a component of destination development project in hilly / remote areas.

* The Ministry of Tourism has decided to consider proposals for grant of financial assistance upto Rs.5.00 crore for construction of one convention centre at any well-connected and accessible tourist destination in each State/UT for promotion of MICE Tourism.

* The Caravan tourism policy announced by the Ministry of Tourism is aimed to promote and facilitate and incentivise development of:
(i) Caravan Parks in the public sector, private sector and PPP mode
(ii) Caravans in the public sector, private sector and PPP mode

Caravan Tourism can effectively meet the growing demand of accommodation while ensuring adherence to quality, standards and safety norms.

* To take up the various issues related to development and promotion of tourism in the country, Regional Conferences for North and Central States and Eastern and North Eastern States have already been held. The conference for South and Western Region is likely to be held shortly.

3. Sustainable Tourism:
The true potential of tourism lies in adopting responsible and sustainable practices on both the demand and supply sides of the tourism chain, enabling an effective response to climate change. This is closely interlinked with inclusive growth through sustainable community participation.

This ‘sustainable’ tourism route has been adopted by the Ministry of Tourism in the innovative Rural Tourism Project, by strengthening the disadvantaged but skilled rural artisan communities through support to capacity building and vernacular infrastructure, while laying emphasis on the role of women. 29 sites of the projects out of 36 sites are completed and being marketed. A project website was also upgraded showcasing these sites. 15 rural tourism sites have been selected as rural eco- holiday sites for “Visit India 2009.”

4. Overseas Marketing and Promotion:
1. The Ministry has consistently been working on a two-pronged strategy for marketing of Incredible India brand.  The strategy includes visible branding in the outdoor media such as advertising at airports, on trams, taxis and buses and through the print, online and electronic media, as well as through participation in Travel Marts and Road Shows.  For promotion of Indian Cuisine, which is an integral component of the Indian Tourism product, support has been extended to Indian Food Festivals organized in various countries. The India tourism office in New York has supported Indian Food Festivals organized in Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay in S. America.

Work orders have been issued for launch of print media campaigns in America, APAC and Europe regions. Advertising Campaigns have also been undertaken by the India tourism offices overseas in their respective regions.  Promotional activities have also been stepped up in the overseas markets with added focus on emerging markets, for generating greater awareness about India as a tourist destination and increasing India’s share in international tourist arrivals and receipts.

2. There has been an increased focus on potential and emerging markets in East/ South East Asia, and East European countries. Road Shows, in collaboration with the Indian Association of Tour Operators, have been organized in Japan and South Korea to promote the Visit India 2009 Scheme. India tourism, Frankfurt supported & participated in Road Shows organized in the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia in June 2009.

3. A series of promotional initiatives were taken to minimize the negative impact of the global economic slowdown and terrorist attack in Mumbai, which had an adverse effect on tourism in the country.  Some of them are as under:

(i) An Incredible India Evening was organized in Beijing in April 2009. More than 600 persons representing a cross section of the Chinese media, travel trade, members of the diplomatic corps, and prominent members of the Indian community attended the function. A five day “Incredible India” Food Festival was also arranged to coincide with the India Evening.

(ii) The India tourism office in New York participated in a “Caribbean Conclave” organized in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago in June 2009.

(iii) The India tourism Offices in New York, Frankfurt, Singapore, Beijing and Tokyo have participated in major travel fairs and exhibitions in South America, CIS, East European countries, East Asia and South East Asia, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, S. Korea, etc.

(iv) Major promotional events were organised in Moscow and St. Petersburg in September 2009.

5. (I) Visit India 2009:

* The initiatives taken to minimize the negative impact of the global economic slowdown included a “Visit India 2009” scheme launched in collaboration with all stakeholders including airlines, hotels, tour operators, State Governments for incentivising travel to India, organizing Road Shows in important tourist generating markets overseas, arranging familiarisation tours to  India for international travel trade and media representatives to keep them updated on safety / security   conditions    in    the    country and  media campaigns in the print, electronic, online and outdoor media.

(II) Other Promotional Activities:
* The Ministry of Tourism, through the India tourism office in London undertook an advertising campaign in the print and outdoor media in London to coincide with the Queens Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games 2010, which was flagged off from the Buckingham Palace on 29th October 2009.

The campaign included advertisements on hoardings, billboards, LED Screens, bus shelters, etc. at Heathrow airport and at prominent locations in London city as well as in leading dailies including The Times London, The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and Evening Standard. Outdoor advertising was also undertaken on taxis in New York, Miami, Chicago, London, Edinburgh, Milan, Rome, Tokyo, on buses / cable cars in San Francisco, Seoul, Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bahrain, Muscat, and on hoardings / billboards in Tokyo, Milan, New York, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Dubai, Nice Airport, Cannes, Singapore, etc.

* Other promotional initiatives undertaken during the year include “Incredible India” Events organized in Russia in September, 2009 as part of the celebrations of the “Year of India in Russia” and a major India promotion event “India Calling” organized in association with the National Geographic Society at Hollywood Bowl and California Plaza in Los Angeles in September 2009.

* Joint Promotions have been organized by India tourism offices overseas in collaboration with Tour Operators / Airlines and Wholesalers, in Rome, Dubai, Sharjah, West Palm Beach & Naples in Florida, Madrid & Barcelona in Spain, Brugge in Belgium, Basel, Bern & Zurich in Switzerland and Singapore.

* The Ministry of Tourism organized a series of Road Shows in collaboration with the Indian Association of Tour Operators, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India and the PATA India Chapter to project India as a tourist destination, in the aftermath of the global economic slowdown.

* India tourism offices overseas have participated in approximately 104 Travel Fairs and Exhibitions in important tourist generating markets the world over as well as in emerging and potential markets to showcase and promote the tourism products of the country. These include the major international Travel Fairs such as the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, PATA Travel Mart in Hangzhou, China, ITB – Asia in Singapore Top Resa in Paris, and World Travel Market (WTM) in London.

III. Ministry continued to provide Hospitality to Journalists/ tour operators/ Travel agents/ TV teams/ Photographers etc. from overseas markets.  Till now Ministry has offered hospitality to    700 guests (approx.).

IV. Efforts of the Ministry to counter the effect of global economic meltdown on tourism sector:

The Ministry of Tourism has taken several steps to counter the downward trend of inbound tourism and to promote tourism to the country. These include liberalizing the Marketing Development Assistance Scheme for service providers promoting India, organizing Road Shows in important tourist generating markets overseas, arranging familiarisation tours to India for international travel trade and media representatives to keep them updated on safety/ security   conditions    in    the    country, media campaigns in the print, electronic, online and outdoor media and a “Visit India 2009” scheme, in collaboration with all stakeholders including airlines, hotels, tour operators, State Governments for incentivising travel to India. Recently Government of India has decided to introduce Visa-on-Arrival scheme for tourists from five countries viz. Singapore, Finland, New Zealand, Luxembourg and Japan on a pilot basis for a period of one year.

6. Social Awareness Campaign:

Ministry continued its efforts to reinforce its brand through Incredible India campaigns.  Through, Social   Awareness Campaigns attempt was made to sensitize the stakeholders and masses about the importance of tourism and protection of heritage sites. Through generic campaign in the first half of the current financial year, awareness about various destinations/ sub-tourism products was generated. In the 2nd half of the financial year, Ministry    continued its efforts of creating social awareness through focused campaigns.

7. Hotel Infrastructure:
The requirement of hotel accommodation in the country is estimated at 240 thousand rooms against availability of around 90 thousand rooms. It is estimated that there will be a requirement of additional 30,000 hotel rooms in Delhi. The Ministry of Tourism is therefore actively involved in monitoring the creation of additional accommodation for the games.  Following initiatives have been taken for augmentation of accommodation infrastructure:

1. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has de-linked credit for hotel projects from commercial real estate, thereby enabling hotel projects to avail credit at relaxed norms and reduced interest rates.    In addition, the External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) norms have been relaxed by Ministry of Finance to solve the problem of liquidity being faced by the hotel industry due to economic slow down.

The XIX Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Delhi during 3rd to 14th October 2010. It is expected that around 100 thousand persons would be visiting during the Games.

The following initiatives have been taken by the Ministry to use this opportunity and showcase India as a unique and hospitable tourism destination:

(i) A Task Force constituted for this purpose monitors the additional new hotel accommodation coming up in the Delhi NCR by holding regular meetings with all concerned land owning authorities, concerned Ministries / Departments.  It has been decided that flats of DDA located at Vasant Kunj and Jasola will be upgraded / furnished and operated by ITDC for the Games as alternate accommodation of three star standards.  It is also proposed to utilize the services of rooms available from the licensed guest houses and   Bed & Breakfast units for the Games.

(ii) India Tourism Development Corporation: Hotel Ashok, Samrat and Janpath under the ITDC have been declared as the Official Hotels for the Games.  While The Ashok & Samrat would be the Games Family Hotels, Janpath would be for Press and Media.  These hotels have undergone a major renovation work to prepare them for the event.

(iii) Manpower & Volunteer Development:
1. Providing more than 3000 volunteers, trained in hospitality sector, for the games under the “Earn While You Learn” scheme.
2. Training more than 3000 taxi/coach and auto rickshaw drivers with an objective of making them more tourists friendly.
3. Training of owners and service staff of the approved guests house in Delhi so that there is a quality improvement in the services being provided.

8. Quality Human Resource Development:

It is estimated that to cater to the growing need of the hospitality sector, over 203 thousand trained manpower would be required annually. Therefore, it has been the endeavour of the Ministry of Tourism to put in place a system of training and professional education with necessary infrastructural support, capable of generating manpower to meet the needs of the tourism and hospitality industry, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Keeping in view the acute shortage of trained manpower MOT has decided to support additional Institutes of Hotel Management (IHM) in States. New Food Crafts   Institutes (FCI) are also being set up. MOT has also been providing financial assistance for modernization and capacity enhancement of IHMs and FCIs. A Scheme of Capacity Building for Service Providers is being implemented to impart hospitality training to those employed in this sector.

As a part of 100 days agenda of the Government, Ministry has taken following initiatives to provide skilled manpower in hospitality sector:

(i) Skill training of youth in Hospitality sector (Hunar Se Rojgar Tak): The Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs) have initiated a six to eight week fast track skill training programme for youth under twenty five years of age in food production and food and beverage services. About 5000 youths will be trained in the year.

(ii) Skill Certification: The service providers, who are working in the hospitality sector, would undertake a five day orientation programme followed by test that would be based on practical and viva voce. Thereafter, the participants would be provided a skill certificate, which will enhance their employability in the market.  About 5000 existing service providers would be certified in the year.

9. International Cooperation:

1. In the 18th Session of the General Assembly of UN WTO held from October 05th -8th 2009 in Astana, Kazakhstan, India was re-elected to the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization for another four years term. India is a member of the Executive Council of UN WTO continuously for the last 19 years.

2. In the first Joint Working Group Meeting on Tourism between India and Indonesia in Yogyakarta, Indonesia held during 27th-28th August 2009, it was agreed to carry forward the cooperation.

3. A Joint Action Plan on Tourism Cooperation was signed between India and Singapore on 4.08.2009 in New Delhi in the presence of the visiting senior Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Education, Republic of Singapore and the Minister of Tourism Govt. of India.

4. A Joint Action Programme for the period 2009-10 for the implementation of the agreement between India and Russian Federation on Cooperation in Tourism was signed during the visit of the Russian President to India in December 2008.

10. New Initiatives:

(i) Cruise Tourism: Cruise Tourism is a relatively new but an emerging sector with a high potential for growth. With the approval of the Cruise Tourism Policy, the huge potential of this tourism product has been opened up.  Together with the Port Trust Authorities and the State Governments, the Ministry is now focusing on infrastructure development as well as motivating cruise operators to use Indian ports in their itinerary.

(ii) Adventure Tourism: Adventure tourism has immense potential for growth. For experiencing the different types of adventure tourism right like rock climbing, river rafting, para gliding, mountaineering and under water diving, the Ministry has been sanctioning projects in various States.

(iii) Wellness Tourism: India, as the world knows, is a Wellness destination. The potential of wellness systems, developed through centuries of wisdom of this ancient civilization would be fully tapped. This is being done by positioning India as a centre of Ayurveda, Yoga, Siddha, Naturopathy, etc. together with the spiritual philosophy that was integral to the Indian way of life.  The Ministry of Tourism has highlighted wellness in a big way through publicity and promotional activities.

11. International Recognition:
The Incredible India film shown globally in the potential tourist generating markets has won a number of prestigious international awards:

* March 2009
- Preis Das Goldene Stadttor. Int, Touristik Filmwettbewerb ITB Berlin 2009

* June 2009
- International Tourfilm festival Plock, 2009, Plock/ Poland
- FIMAC- International Festival of Corporates AV Media

* July 2009
- Document.Art - The International Festival of Documentary Films, 2009, Campulung Muscel/Romania

* September 2009
- Art&Tur - International Tourism Film Festival, 2009, Barcelos/ Portugal

* October 2009
- Tourfilm Karlovy Vary, 2009, Karlovy Vary/Czech Republic

- The latest being the Grand Prix Award - organized by Comite International Des Festivals Du film Touristique (CIFFT) in which the Hon’ble Minister for Tourism has received the award in Vienna on 13th November 2009.

With several players in the skies, India domestic flight booking has become very easy and hassle free.

With the lowering of fuel prices and opening up of skies to private airlines by the Government of India, the aviation industry in the country has gained new vistas. Moreover with the advent of the Internet, India domestic flight booking has become economical, and less time consuming.

Once a luxury, travelling by flights has recently captured the imagination of the burgeoning middle class in the country as well. Different airlines in the country target different sections of the society, something which is evident from the ticket rates, in-flight services provided by the operator and the flight timings. The important players in the domestic segment are:

Air India: The first major domestic airline of India, Indian Airlines started its operations in 1953 under the Air Corporation Act, 1953. The airline came into existence with the merger of eight independent domestic airlines, which were operational at that time. They include Deccan Airways, Airways India, Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Kalinga Airlines, Indian National Airways and Air Services of India. Till 1991 Indian Airlines was the only airline with major Indian domestic flights. In 1991 with the Government of India’s open sky policy, the monopoly of Indian Airlines in domestic flight market of India came to an end. Indian Airlines was renamed Indian in December 2005, and in 2007, both Air India, the national carrier of India in the international arena, and Indian Airlines were amalgamated into National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL). Name Air India has been adopted for the air services.

Jet Airways: Based in Mumbai, Jet Airways is the largest private sector airline company operating domestic flights in the country. The airline covers more than 50 domestic destinations along with six international ones. With more than 330 flights operating daily, Jet Airways is giving stiff competition to Air India. Recent milestone in the business expansion of Jet Airways is the acquisition of Air Sahara in 2007. Once owned by Sahara India Parivar, Air Sahara merged with Jet along with its fleet of new generation Boeing 737-700s, 737-800s and Classics 737-400s.

Kingfisher Airlines: A well-known name in the luxury airlines in India, it is based in Bangalore. Owned by the United Beverages Group, it became functional in May 2005. The airline operates flights to around 34 destinations. Joining the M&A (merger & acquisition) band wagon, Kingfisher acquired considerable number of shares in Air Deccan in 2007. Air Deccan, once touted as the flight for every Indian, is likely to redefine its target customers after this marriage.

Air Deccan: An initiative of the Deccan Aviation Company, Deccan is one of the leading private airlines operating in India. Established in 2003, Deccan has a fleet of 23 ATR Turboprop airplanes and 20 Airbus A-320 aircraft. This domestic airline of India has bases in all metropolitan cities including Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore. The airline also connects comparatively smaller cities like Tuticorin, Hubli, Kandla, Belgaum and Vijayawada. The affordable rates of Deccan airline make it popular among all sections of travelers.

Jet Lite: After becoming a part of Jet Airways, Air Sahara was renamed Jet Lite and became operational in April 2007. A fleet of 20 aircrafts operating under Jet Lite connects 32 destinations across the country. About 141 daily flights connect cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Allahabad, Chennai, Goa, Mumbai, Ranchi, Indore and many others. Kathmandu and Colombo are the two overseas destinations connected by Jet Lite.

MDLR Airlines: An endeavor of MDLR Group, MDLR Airlines has been functional since 2007. A fleet of 4 Avro RJ aircrafts connects 5 destinations in India namely Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Ranchi and Jodhpur. Goa and Kullu are also to be connected soon via the flights operated by MDLR Airlines. It is the only domestic airline in India offering an all-vegetarian cuisine to passengers.

Paramount Airways: Set up by the Paramount Group, Paramount Airways is one of the leading airlines connecting different parts of South India with each other. Operational since 2005, this airway is based in Madurai and has a hub at the Chennai Airport. The Embraer aircraft connect destinations like Chennai, Madurai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore, Cochin, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.

GoAir: This domestic airline, based in Mumbai, is owned by the Wadia Group of Bombay Dyeing fame. Established in November 2005, today GoAir has to its credit a fleet of 4 Airbus A 320-200.

Jagson Airlines: The first private airline to avail the benefit of Open Sky policy of Government of India, it commenced its operation in 1992.

Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited: Incorporated in 1985 under the name of Helicopter Corporation of India Limited, it provides services mainly to the petroleum sector including ONGC, Oil India Limited and Hardy Exploration at Chennai. Located in New Delhi, it also operates in hilly and far-flung areas of the country and provides chartered flights for the promotion of travel and tourism.

In addition, today there are numerous travel agents in India who have made India domestic flight booking easier with the implementation of real-time India domestic flight booking software. These travel agents also offer discounts on India domestic flight booking in various routes, giving tough competition to Indian Railways.

To call any Indian city you need to know the India code (or India country code) for these cities. An India code or STD code (also known as India country code) is unique for a given India city. So unless you know the correct India code you will not be able to call a person in India.

Telecommunication services in India have improved considerably over the years. The National Long Distance service was opened to the private sector in the year 2000. In addition to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) many other companies have signed license agreement for National Long Distance service. This competition has resulted in the lowering of STD tariffs in the country.

India’s 21.59 million-line telephone network is the largest in Asia, 3rd largest among emerging economies (after China and Republic of Korea) and the 12th largest in the world. India’s telecom network comprises 27,753 telephone exchanges, with a total equipped capacity of 272.17 Lakh lines and 226.3 Lakh working telephones.

The Long Distance Transmission Network has nearly 1,70,000 route kilometers of terrestrial Microwave Radio Relay & Co-axial cables and about 171,000 route kilometers of Optical Fiber Cables. Fully automatic International Subscriber Dialing (ISD) service is available to almost all the countries. The total number of stations connected to National Subscriber Dialing (NSD) is over 18,000 and this is increasing fast. Yet the present tele-density is very low at about 2.2 per hundred persons, offering a vast scope for growth. In the field of International communications, tremendous progress was made by the use of Satellite Communication and submarine links.It is therefore not surprising that India has one of the fastest growing telecommunication systems in the world with system size (total connections) growing at an average of more than 20 percent over the last 4 years.

The voice and non-voice telecom services include data transmission, facsimile, mobile radio, radio paging, V-SAT and leased line services to cater to variety of needs, both residential and business. A dedicated Packet Switched Public Data Network (I-NET) with international access for computer communication services is also available. ISDN service has already been introduced in the major cities. Other services like Intelligent Network (IN), Frame Relay (FR) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) for wide band multimedia applications will be introduced in the near future.

In the field of international communications, India’s overseas service carrier Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL) has made tremendous progress by using extensive infrastructure of satellite earth stations, state-of-the-art digital gateways, Optical Fiber Multi Media submarine Cables and Multi Media Data Switches. Fully automatic international subscriber dialing (ISD) service is provided to almost all the countries in the world. In future, VSNL is positioning itself to provide bandwidth on demand, Global Virtual Private Networks, ISDN, B-ISDN, VSATs, Mini-M and hand held Personal Communications.

The telecommunications initiative in the country is led by Ministry of Communications through the Department of Telecommunication & Department Telecom Services and its undertakings for provision of basic telephone services, national and international long distance communications, manufacture of complete range of telecom equipment, research and development, and consultancy services. The Telecom Commission performs the Executive and Policy making functions. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India performs the functions of an independent regulatory body.

Today in India, every city is assigned with an unique India code or India country code to facilitate easy calling. Here are the main India country code or India code or STD codes of some of the important Indian cities: