Indian carrier GoAir has got government approval to fly internationally to nine countries including Iran.
The Mumbai-based carrier got the green light just months after the government eased rules on Indian airlines launching overseas routes for the first time.
The so-called 5/20 rule previously required all airlines to be operating for at least five years and have a fleet of a minimum 20 aircraft before the regulator would consider an application to fly overseas.
GoAir plans to launch flights to Iran, China, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia.
"For international routes, we have been allocated traffic rights to Iran, Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, China and some countries in the South East Asia and touristic destinations in the Indian Ocean. We expect to start international operations from the next summer schedule," said GoAir chief executive officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer.
However the airline reportedly applied to fly to 14 countries.
No reason was given for denying its request to fly to Kuwait, Turkey, Thailand, UAE and Oman.
GoAir will become the fifth Indian airline to fly international routes
