NEW DELHI, Dec 16: Private investors, both Indian and foreign, have been called upon to invest in the development of aviation infrastructure as the sector offered healthy financial returns and was high on the government's priority.

Inaugurating the Asian Airports Meet in the capital, the civil aviation secretary M K Kaw informed the delegates, many of them financers, planners, builders, architects and aviation experts from Asia, Europe and the US that India has plans to build 10 international airports in the country.

Five of these, he said, would be new airports and the remaining would be upgraded up to "world class" standards. Kaw said that it was being considered to free these international airports from the "day-to-day control of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and convert them into independent companies with separate board of directors". Giving details about the new aviation policy, he said its implementation would start soon after its clearance by the cabinet.y

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