IGI lounge plans to charge foreign VIPs
India is likely to soon approve levy of a monetary charge on those visiting foreign dignitaries — for use of the VIP lounge at the New Delhi IGI airport — who hail from countries where visiting Indian dignitaries are asked to pay up for use of the VIP lounge. “The ministry of external affairs (MEA) and the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) are
holding consultations over the issue. The extent of levy and modalites for transfer of the collected amount to the national exchequer are being worked out,” civil aviation ministry sources told this newspaper.
The MoCA had communicated to the MEA earlier that India ought to follow the principle of reciprocity when it comes to facilities extended to visiting dignitaries at airports. This had followed a monetary charge levied on civil aviation minister Praful Patel at the London Heathrow airport when he had availed of the facilities of the VIP lounge there during an official visit earlier this year. This had come as a surprise to the Indian government and the Indian High Commission in London then paid up. The MEA is likely to agree to the MoCA’s recommendation and is likely to communicate this soon formally to the MoCA.
As per the current procedures, India offers use of the VIP lounge at the New Delhi IGI airport free of cost to “entitled categories of foreign dignitaries as a courtesy”. The use of the VIP lounge “A” is permitted for visiting foreign heads of state, heads of government and vice-presidents while use of the VIP lounge “B” is permitted for visiting foreign Cabinet ministers and those above that rank.
“Reciprocity is the guiding principle applied for use of lounges at airports and it is expected that countries whose VIPs avail of cost-free facilities/protocols in India must reciprocate similarly,” Mr Patel had informed Parliament in November.
Ministry sources said that whenever the reciprocal facilities are not extended free of cost abroad to Indian dignitaries, it makes little sense for India to continue with the current policy with respect to dignitaries from those countries.
For instance, in the UK, the UK government only pays for VIP suites and facilitates arrangement of VIP suites at UK airports for those officially invited as guests of the UK government, whereas for all other high-level visiting foreign dignitaries, the arrangement and payment for the VIP suites “have to be borne by the concerned foreign government”.
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