Hon’ble Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for
Tourism and Culture, Government of India, Shri Bhuvanesh Kumar, Secretary (Tourism), Shri Suman Billa, AS & DG (Tourism) with Nipun Aggarwal, CCO, Air India, and P. Balaji, Group Head – GRC & Corporate Affairs, Air India, at the MoU signing ceremony.
Air India and India’s Ministry of Tourism will coordinate global marketing, trade engagement, destination promotion and stopover initiatives to increase inbound tourism and strengthen India’s transit role.
The Air India tourism partnership will support joint international marketing, destination promotion and transit tourism initiatives under a memorandum of understanding signed by Air India and India’s Ministry of Tourism. The agreement aims to increase inbound travel and strengthen India’s position as an aviation and transit hub.
Signed on 27 July 2026, the memorandum establishes a framework for collaboration across tourism marketing, destination storytelling, travel trade engagement, transit tourism and visitor experience development. Air India said it is the first global airline to enter this type of partnership with the Ministry.
The two organisations will combine Air India’s international network with the Ministry’s Incredible India programme. Their activities will promote the country’s cultural, heritage, natural and experiential tourism products in overseas markets.
The signing ceremony was attended by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture; Bhuvanesh Kumar, Secretary for Tourism; Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General for Tourism; Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India; and P. Balaji, Group Head for Governance, Risk, Compliance and Corporate Affairs at Air India.
Aggarwal said: “As the airline that proudly carries India in its name, Air India has a unique responsibility to showcase the country to the world and serve as an ambassador for the “new India” that is confident, vibrant, warm, and welcoming. As Air India expands its global network that already spans five continents and welcomes more visitors to India, this partnership with the Ministry of Tourism will help us to meaningfully put the spotlight on a nation that truly is uniquely remarkable.”
Balaji said: “This MoU reflects months of close collaboration between Air India and the Ministry of Tourism and a shared belief that aviation and tourism can be powerful partners in advancing India’s global profile. The framework creates a meaningful platform that combines the Government’s nation-branding strengths with Air India’s growing global footprint. We are excited to work with the Ministry of Tourism to create new pathways for international travellers to discover the richness, diversity, and dynamism of India.”
Global network and destination promotion
Air India currently serves 40 international destinations across five continents. Its network covers North America, the United Kingdom and Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia.
In addition, the carrier has 25 codeshare partnerships and more than 120 interline agreements. These arrangements connect India with over 1,000 destinations worldwide through Air India and its airline partners.
Under the Air India tourism partnership, the airline’s aircraft, digital channels, inflight services and international commercial network will be used to distribute Incredible India content. The organisations will also examine opportunities to extend the destination brand across additional Air India customer touchpoints.
Joint activities will include co-branded campaigns across digital channels, social media, inflight branding and other consumer-facing platforms. The partners will also coordinate destination content intended for international travellers.
Travel trade and state tourism engagement
The Ministry and the airline will jointly engage tour operators, travel trade companies and industry stakeholders in priority international markets. The programme will include tourism exhibitions, roadshows, familiarisation trips and other market development activities.
Air India and the Ministry will also work with State Tourism Boards and relevant stakeholders to promote destinations throughout the country. These activities will support national and regional tourism initiatives and broaden the range of Indian destinations presented in overseas markets.
The agreement recognises air connectivity as a component of tourism development. Therefore, its commercial and trade activities will link destination promotion with Air India’s network expansion and distribution partnerships.
Transit tourism and stopover programmes
The Air India tourism partnership also covers initiatives intended to develop Delhi and Mumbai as international transit gateways. Air India is expanding its hub operations in both cities as part of its wider network strategy.
The two organisations will explore transit and stopover tourism programmes that encourage international passengers connecting through India to visit destinations during their journey. This work may include the development of dedicated stopover products.
Air India and the Ministry will also consider tourism incentives linked to the airline’s Maharaja Club loyalty programme. These initiatives could connect loyalty benefits to visitor experiences across destinations in India.
The Ministry will facilitate discussions with relevant organisations regarding special offers for Air India passengers. Potential benefits may include access to cultural attractions, heritage sites, museums and other tourism experiences.