Restrictions on flights between the UK and India have been eased.

The deal was made following talks between the two nations at an aviation summit in India.

Limits on flights between UK airports other than Heathrow and six Indian cities such as Delhi and Chennai were scrapped.

A cap of seven flights per week on other routes between the countries will remain.

Around 2.5 million passengers fly direct between the UK and India each year, with 88 scheduled services per week in each direction.

The Government hopes the agreement will encourage airlines to open up more routes, leading to a boost in trade and tourism.

Aviation minister Lord Ahmad said: "India is one of our closest allies and key trading partners and this new agreement will only serve to strengthen this crucial relationship.

"We are unlocking new trade and tourism opportunities which will boost our economies, create new jobs and open up new business links.

"This is great news for both the UK and India and is yet another sign that we are open for business and ready to build and strengthen our trade links."

There were 422,000 visits from India to the UK in 2015, bringing in more than £433 million to the economy.

Indian civil aviation minister Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju said: "We already enjoy strong ties with the UK and we welcome such continued association which in the long run will not only encourage business activity, but also people-to-people contact.

"I am sure that this agreement will bring direct and indirect benefits to many sectors of the economies of our two countries."

Air industry consultant John Strickland described the UK-India market as "buoyant" and said there is "little doubt" that extra capacity will be absorbed by demand.

But he added that airlines should be wary of the need to deliver profitability from more flights given the "price sensitivity" of the route.