Connectivity between the Philippines and India is becoming the next big frontier in the aviation industry, as one of the world’s largest low-cost carriers is seeking regulatory approval to launch direct services potentially to Manila and Cebu.

In a notice dated Aug. 14, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., the parent company of IndiGo, is seeking the issuance of a foreign air carrier’s permit to operate flights in the country.

The CAB said it has scheduled a hearing on Sept. 16 to determine whether to grant the permit, which would allow IndiGo to mount air services between India and the Philippines. IndiGo and the country’s major carriers have been invited to participate in the hearing.

In a statement by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in August last year, IndiGo said it had been exploring its options to operate direct flights to the Philippines within this year.

The DOT, which sits as a vice chair of the CAB, said IndiGo is particularly interested in launching nonstop services from India to Manila and Cebu, which are two of the country’s busiest gateways.

IndiGo said it is looking to include the Philippines in its expansion strategy to bring Indian tourists to some of the world’s top beach destinations, after most recently launching flights to the island destinations of Seychelles, Mauritius, and Bali.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, manages a fleet of 432 aircraft as of the end of June, with more than 900 aircraft on order expected to be integrated within the next decade and beyond.

IndiGo currently connects passengers to more than 140 destinations across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Within Southeast Asia, the airline is already present in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia.

As demand for connectivity between the Philippines and India continues to grow, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) earlier asked the CAB to provide it with additional entitlements to mount direct flights to the South Asian country.

PAL based its request on the Philippines-India Air Services Agreement, which allows for up to 28 flights from the Indian cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai to Manila and three other cities.

PAL previously operated direct flights to New Delhi in 2011, but it opted to discontinue the service due to low demand. The airline attempted to revive the route in 2019 but deferred the plan due to geopolitical tensions in the region at the time.

At present, flag carrier Air India is the only airline that operates flights between the capital cities of New Delhi and Manila. When the route launched last year, it was initially intended to operate just five times a week, but this has since been upgraded to daily flights due to increased demand.

The Philippines has been welcoming more visitors from India following the issuance of visa-free privileges for Indian nationals traveling to the country for tourism and business purposes last year.

Under the policy, Indians may enter the Philippines without a visa for 14 days upon presenting passports that are valid for at least six months.

Based on DOT data, India is the 10th-largest source of foreign arrivals in the country during the first half of the year, with a total of 60,583 visitors.