This year, Wizz Air will introduce a direct flight between Budapest and Mumbai, operating daily. This could soon be followed by a direct connection between the capitals of Hungary and India, as announced by Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on Tuesday in New Delhi.
According to a statement from the ministry, sent to MTI on Tuesday, the minister discussed with several Indian government officials that the importance of relations between the two countries—and their highly positive impact on the Hungarian economy—is not emphasized enough.
He explained that bilateral trade and economic cooperation bring significant benefits to Hungary, but one key obstacle has remained unresolved: the lack of a direct flight.
Therefore, he welcomed the conclusion of all necessary agreements, allowing Wizz Air to launch its direct Budapest-Mumbai flight this year, operating every day of the week.
“In just a few months, Hungary will have direct access to the world’s most populous and one of its fastest-growing countries,” he stated.
“And now, we are negotiating the possibility of a direct flight between New Delhi and Budapest. This requires an amendment to our bilateral aviation agreement, and today we took the first step in that direction,” he added.
He emphasized that a non-stop connection will give a tremendous boost to business, academic, diplomatic, and tourism relations.
Péter Szijjártó also stated that both Hungary and India are part of the international peace coalition and that both governments follow a patriotic policy prioritizing national interests. This foundation of mutual respect has led to excellent cooperation with substantial economic benefits.
“The largest Indian companies are continuously making cutting-edge investments, employing tens of thousands of workers in Hungary. They are now moving from production into research and development, bringing state-of-the-art technology investments to Hungary and creating jobs for Hungarian researchers and engineers,” he said.
He pointed out that bilateral trade volume is expected to reach a new record of approximately $1.5 billion this year, with more Hungarian companies expanding into the vast Indian market.
As an example, he mentioned Hell Energy, whose second-largest export market is now India. Additionally, he highlighted BHE Bonn Hungary, which has been supplying components for major defense and space industry developments in India for 25 years. Several Hungarian companies have also become market leaders in various healthcare sectors.
“At the same time, we also speak out together for peace. The war in Ukraine must end, and a ceasefire and peace negotiations are needed,” he concluded.
(MTI)
