Bengaluru – Cape Town officials are in discussion with Air India (AI) to establish direct flights that connect South African cities with Bengaluru (BLR) and other Indian metropolitan centres.
The initiative aims to strengthen tourism, trade and business partnerships between the two regions.
Official discussion
Currently, Air India (AI) operates direct flights between Mumbai (BOM) and Johannesburg (JNB), offering the only non-stop connection between India and South Africa.
South African Airlines (SA) previously operated on this route but has halted services following pandemic-related financial challenges.
Emirates (EK), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), and Qatar Airways (QR) provide one-stop connections between the two countries with layovers of Dubai (DXB), Addis Ababa (ADD) and Doha (DOH) respectively.
Mayor James Foss, a member of the Mayor's Committee's Economic Growth Committee, announced that the delegation will meet with executives of Mumbai's airlines during the interaction of closed door-to-door coverage on Tuesday, March 18th. The talks will focus on attracting new investors and tourists to Cape Town, with Mumbai and New Delhi being considered for direct flight connections as well.
Tourism and business travel between India and South Africa has grown significantly as more than 85,000 Indian tourists visited South Africa in 2023. Industry experts point out that within two years these figures can be increased by 30-40%, bringing great economic benefits to both regions.
The delegation will meet with tour operators over the next two days to promote a scheme of trustworthy tour operators in India. The program allows tourists to apply for a visa via registered operators and streamline the travel process.
Technology and business collaboration
On Monday, March 17th, the delegation met with Karnataka IT-BT Minister Priyank Karj to discuss potential cooperation in marine manufacturing, technology, business process outsourcing, financial services and tourism. Kharge proposed to include Cape Town as a partner in Bengaluru in its global innovation programme.
The minister highlighted Moveinsync, a Bengaluru-based company where office commuting solutions are implemented in Cape Town. The delegation also visited the Global Capacity Centre and High Tech Park in Bengaluru to identify business opportunities.
Water crisis management expertise
The delegation shared strategies that will help Cape Town overcome the serious water crisis of 2017. These include replacing water pipelines, excavating aquifers, implementing desalination projects and expanding wastewater treatment facilities.
The government has also partnered with citizens to monitor water usage via live dashboards that allow public water levels to be tracked in real time.
Strategic Partnership Goals
The delegation identified India, particularly Bengaluru, as a strategic choice to utilize the high-tech ecosystem and the global capacity centre for adopting Cape Town's growth strategy.
“India's dynamic BPO and technology industry complement Cape Town's strengths. We can work together to unlock investment, create jobs, and strengthen trade and tourism between regions.”
– Cape Town, Mayor's Committee Member for Economic Growth Alderman James Foss
He also said the delegation is exploring a memorandum of understanding between the two governments.
The Cape Town government is considering a variety of cities for smart approaches to safety and mobility solutions. This includes investments in drone and CCTV monitoring, renewable energy generation and integrated transport systems.
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