International Conference on Current Challenges in Aviation and Space Law, 2019

CMR University School of Legal Studies inaugurated its first International Conference on Current Challenges in Aviation and Space Law for their Post Graduate Diploma in Air and Space Law. CMR University is one of the very few universities in India which offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Air and Space Law. The chief guest of the conference is Padma Shri Vasagam R. M., Former Director, Directorate of Advanced Technology and Planning, Indian Space Research Organization. The program is designed for students and working professionals. Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Sachdeva, Adjunct Professor, NALSAR, Hyderabad, Prof. (Dr.) Sandeepa Bhat, Professor, WBNUJS Kolkata, Shri. K.C. Ramamurthy, IPS (Retd.) Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Chairman, CMR Group of Institutions & CMR University, Prof. Dr. T.R. Subramanaya, Dean, School of Legal Studies & Prof. (Dr.) M.S. Shivakumar, Vice Chancellor, CMR University were also present at the inaugural function. The theme of the two-day conference are – Role of ICAO in the future regulation of civil aviation, Privatization of airports: Problems and perspectives, Reforms in carriers’ liability norms, Liability norms on surface damage: Need for harmonization, Legal regulation of UAVs and aerospace vehicles, Concerns in norms governing civil aviation crimes, Aviation and space insurance, Significance of the UNIDROIT system in financing the aircrafts and space assets, Concerns in liability norms under space law, Celestial property rights: To be or not to be?, Space tourism and legal regulations, Space debris and environmental concerns, Legal aspects of ASAT testing, National space laws and Reforms in the Moon Agreement 1979. Aviation law and space law are presently the two most significant fields of law at both international and national levels. Though there have been a significant amount of developments in the regimes governing carriers’ liability, damage caused to third parties, aviation insurance, civil aviation crimes etc, there are differences in the application of them in different countries. This has been due to the failure to get adequate State ratifications for many international instruments, which amend and improve upon the older instruments in respective fields. Therefore, it is significant to probe into the current status of aviation law in both international and national levels to find out the problems as well as to adequately address those problems with a view to establish uniformity, which helps in reducing confusion in the application of aviation laws.