New Delhi, Nov. 26: Dubai-based airline Emirates is pushing for additional flying rights, or bilaterals, from India.

"We have exhausted the 60,200 seats per week entitlement, or flying rights, that was granted to us in 2014. Governments of both the countries are now in talks on increasing these entitlements," said Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, vice-president (India & Nepal) of Emirates Airline.

Ahmad said at current seat levels, Emirates' had contributed over $848 million annually to India's GDP (gross domestic product), supporting over 86,000 Indian jobs and generating almost $1.7 billion in foreign exchange earnings.

"If the bilateral entitlements were to increase further, these numbers would increase and benefit the economy," he added.

In 2012, Emirates president Tim Clark had said the airline could easily fill 100,000 seats per week in each direction.

Emirates forecasts that if it operates an additional 4,500 weekly seats between India and Dubai, 4,800 more jobs will be created in India and foreign exchange earnings will rise to $1.8 billion with the arrival of almost 40,000 more tourists per year.

If the bilateral arrangements are expanded to allow an additional 13,849 seats per week, the airline can support 100,405 jobs per year, contribute $987.8 million to India's GDP and boost forex earnings to $2 billion annually.

Airlines from the US and Europe allege that Gulf carriers are cornering India-US fliers by routing them through their hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

State-run Air India gets to fly to the Gulf in return for the bilateral rights awarded to Emirates, but is unable to do so owing to its poor financial health.