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India’s first Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme sees over 19,000 enrolments! Programme a replica of US global entry scheme

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3 weeks ago

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The programme mirrors the US global entry programme and it has been adapted for Indian requirements.

India’s first Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme: Since June this year, more than 19,000 Indian and foreign nationals with Overseas Card of India (OCI) have registered for India’s inaugural Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP).
Officials confirmed that whilst initially available only at Delhi airport, the service has expanded to 31 international airports, including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin and Ahmedabad.
Officials indicated that whilst the programme mirrors the US global entry programme, it has been adapted for Indian requirements. This initiative followed the US’s offer to include India in its trusted travellers programme. The US Global Entry offers precheck benefits and expedited US Customs and Border Protection screening for international travellers entering the US with valid documentation.
Officials familiar with the development told ET that the Global Entry Programme (GEP), by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), registered 1,491 individuals in August and 515 in September. They anticipate the total enrolments to exceed 20,000 by year-end.
The programme mandates biometric submission for all applicants, without which enrolment is not possible.
A senior government official informed ET, “For any one between 12 and 18 years, email id and mobile number of parents or guardians may be used for the purpose of FTI-TTP registration and those below 12 years or above 70 are not eligible for trusted travellers programme. The registration process usually takes a month with verification done by the field agencies.”
The programme has attracted frequent global travellers, OCI card holders, high net worth individuals, chief executive officers and businessmen. Officials report that the e-Gates have achieved 60-65% faster immigration clearance for passengers.
According to the programme guidelines: “Eligible individuals can apply online for the fast-track immigration facility. Those with approved applications are called to submit their biometrics (fingerprint and facial image) at the international airports in India or the Foreigners Regional Registration Offices.”
Registration validity extends to five years or until passport expiry, whichever occurs first.
Another official explained, “FTI-TTP aims to facilitate international mobility with faster, smoother, secure immigration clearance. In the initial phase, it has been started for Indian nationals and OCI cardholders on a gratis basis.”





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Business

Adani spreads wings in aviation, to acquire leading MRO Air Works

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2 hours ago

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December 23, 2024

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NEW DELHI: The Adani Group, that operates airports in seven cities including Mumbai and is building a greenfield one at Navi Mumbai, is expanding its presence in the aviation space. It is acquiring India’s biggest private sector MRI (maintenance, repair & overhaul) player Air Works for an enterprise value of Rs 400 crore.
Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Ltd (ADSTL) has signed a SPA to acquire 85.8% shareholding in Air Works, which does line maintenance, heavy checks, interior refurbishment, painting, redelivery checks, avionics and asset management services for its Indian and global customers.
Air Works does base maintenance for narrowbody, turboprop and rotary aircraft at its facilities in Hosur, Mumbai and Kochi and has regulatory approvals from civil aviation authorities of over 20 countries. It also handles defence MRO.
Adani Airports director Jeet Adani said: “The Indian aviation industry stands at a transformative juncture, now the third largest globally and on track to induct over 1,500 aircraft in the coming years. This growth aligns seamlessly with Govt’s vision to connect every corner of our nation, creating unprecedented opportunities in aviation services. For us, creating a presence in the MRO sector is more than just a strategic step — it’s a commitment to building an integrated aviation services ecosystem that strengthens the backbone of India’s aviation infrastructure. Together, we are excited to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of India’s skies,” said
Adani Defence & Aerospace CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said: “This acquisition represents a pivotal step in Adani Defence & Aerospace’s mission to strengthen India’s MRO capabilities. Our vision is to deliver a full-spectrum MRO offering — spanning line, base, component, and engine maintenance — to meet the needs of both commercial and defence aviation sectors. In a time when

aatmanirbharta

in defence is a national imperative, we stand fully committed to scaling domestic capabilities to serve both our armed forces and the broader aviation sector.”





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Bitcoin posts its first weekly decline since Trump’s victory

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6 hours ago

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December 23, 2024

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Trump has also backed the idea of a strategic national Bitcoin stockpile, though many question the feasibility of the proposal.

Bitcoin marked its first weekly decline since Donald Trump’s election victory as the Federal Reserve’s cautious policy outlook tempered optimism over the president-elect’s embrace of the crypto sector.
The largest digital asset was down more than 7% for the seven-day period through 9:27am Monday in Singapore, the biggest such drop since September. A wider crypto market gauge, encompassing smaller tokens such as Ether and meme-crowd favorite Dogecoin, suffered a sharper decline of about 10%.
The Fed on Wednesday delivered a third straight interest-rate cut while signaling a slower pace of monetary easing next year to keep inflation in check, sending global stocks into a tailspin. The hawkish pivot also damped the speculative spirits unleashed in the crypto market by Trump’s pledge of friendly regulations and his backing for a national Bitcoin stockpile. A record outflow from US exchange traded funds investing directly in Bitcoin last week will weigh on prices in the near term, said Sean McNulty, director of trading at liquidity provider Arbelos Markets.
“We should hold the $90,000 level for Bitcoin into the year end, but if we break below that could trigger further liquidations,” McNulty said adding that “meaningful downside hedging” was seen in the options market last week with large buyers for January, February and March puts in $75,000 to $80,000 strikes.
The original cryptocurrency changed hands at about $94,344, nearly $14,000 below the record high set on December 17. The token is up nearly 37% since the presidential election on November 5.
Choppy price action near term ahead of a “bullish trajectory” into the first quarter of 2025 is still the “most likely scenario,” David Lawant, head of research at crypto prime broker FalconX, wrote in a note.
Lawant said a “low-liquidity environment may bring more volatility as we enter into the final days of the year, especially because on December 27 crypto is likely going to see the biggest options expiry event of its history.”
All eyes are on whether leveraged Bitcoin proxy MicroStrategy Inc, the former dot-com-era software maker, continues its weekly buys of the largest cryptocurrency into US Monday and hits the next price trigger, traders said.





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