Market in India, China to grow 'despite economic turbulence'

THE business aviation markets in China and India too are poised to grow notwithstanding the global economic turmoil these days.

Giving this information to Gulf Times yesterday, founding chairman of the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) Ali al-Naqbi, said the expo organised by the forum in Dubai had a number of serious buyers from India last time.

"This year too, we have enthusiastic response from Indian business houses," he said.

Al-Naqbi said along with markets in the GCC, notably Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar, business aviation sector in China and India would certainly show a marked growth in coming years in view of increasing demand from corporate business firms in the two countries, notably in India.

The MEBAA official said the forum established by private jet owners in India was in regular touch with the organisers of major shows like the one in Dubai.

"As a result, we have a number of regulars coming from India.  Some of the Far East countries too have evinced keen interest in attending this year's show," the MEBAA official disclosed.

When pointed out that China and India had now revised their GDP growth target to lower levels than before in view of the current global economic turbulence, al-Naqbi replied that the effect of which was too early to be predicted at this stage. "However, we are hopeful that Indian, Chinese and Far East business aviation markets would experience a reasonably good growth once the economic scenario improved," he said.