PLANS TO LINK MOZAMBIQUE AND INDIA BY DIRECT FLIGHTS

Mozambique could soon have direct flights to India, according to the country’s High Commissioner to India, Jose Maria Morais.Speaking at a meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Mozambican diplomat pointed out that a civil aviation agreement between the two countries could soon be signed.However, Morais was unable to say what Indian city the flights would fly to, but commented, “once the deal is signed, both our national carriers will have an air link”.The meeting in the Indian city of Chennai was organised to introduce a Mozambican business delegation, according to the Express News Service.The High Commissioner concluded by expressing his desire to take a delegation of Indian business people to Mozambique. Economic links between the two countries are increasing rapidly. Bilateral trade could grow to three billion US dollars by 2016, up from the current level of 1.28 billion dollars.India has supported Mozambique’s development through various lines of credit from its Export Import Bank, which have totalled 640 million dollars. In July, it opened a 217 million dollar credit line to finance infrastructure projects. That followed on from an even larger credit line opened during the visit of Mozambican President Armando Guebuza to India in 2010.In addition, Indian companies are heavily involved in developing Mozambique’s large coal and gas deposits.