In a major move to expand international air travel out of India, the Civil Aviation Ministry has approved new traffic rights to domestic carriers for the next three seasons. The rights will apply for the current winter and next year's summer and winter seasons. The new cities include Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Sydney, Melbourne, Nairobi, Al Najaf (Iraq), Moscow, Zurich, Macau, Tashkent and Ho Chi Minh City.

Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has also directed holding of fresh bilateral negotiations to enhance air traffic rights with countries like those in the Gulf and Southeast Asia, with whom the existing rights have almost got exhausted. These countries include Singapore, Thailand, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Macao and Afghanistan.