Singapore's Changi Airports International to 'continue to explore' Indian airport projects

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Changi Airports International (CAI) today said that it will "continue to explore" opportunities in airport projects in India, days after its discussions with national airports operator AAI to operate and maintain two airports was terminated.
"As an airport investor, manager and consultant, CAI will continue to explore opportunities in airport projects in India where we can add value and where there is a strong fit with our global strategy," CAI spokesperson See Ngee Muoy said.

CAI, an investor, consultant and manager of airports around the world, is a subsidiary of Changi Airport Group, which runs Singapore's Changi Airport.

Queried about the collaboration between CAI and AAI to operate and maintain Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports, See told Channel NewsAsia that both parties were not able to come to an agreement on the commercial terms of the proposal, hence they have decided not to proceed with the project.

A senior Indian official close to the development said on Wednesday that AAI's decision comes after its assessment that Changi Airport's proposal would not be commercially viable.

In January, Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) had nominated CAI as an expert party to cooperate with Airports Authority of India (AAI) on the maintenance of Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between SCE and AAI in November last year. Some of the areas of joint interest as outlined in the MoU included master-planning and design, traffic and commercial developments, service quality improvement and cargo handling and management.

In 2015, Changi Airport handled a record 55.4 million passengers and was voted the World's Best Airport for the fourth year in a row.