A Crossover Study to Determine the Effect on Lung Function of Indacaterol in Patients With Moderate to Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Using Tiotropium as an Active Control

Inclusion Criteria: * Male and female adults aged ≥ 40 years, who have signed an Informed Consent Form prior to initiation of any study-related procedure * Co-operative out patients with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (moderate to severe as classified by the Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) Guidelines, 2006) and: 1. Smoking history of at least 10 pack years (current or previous smokers) 2. Post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) \< 80% and ≥30% of the predicted normal value. 3. Post-bronchodilator FEV1/Forced vital capacity (FVC) \< 70% Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have been hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation in the 6 weeks prior to Visit 1 or during the run-in period * Patients requiring long-term oxygen therapy for chronic hypoxemia * Patients who have had a respiratory tract infection within 6 weeks prior to Visit * Patients with concomitant pulmonary disease * Patients with a history of asthma * Patients with diabetes Type I or uncontrolled diabetes Type II * Any patient with lung cancer or a history of lung cancer * Any patient with active cancer or a history of cancer with less than 5 years disease free survival time * Patients with a history of long QT syndrome or whose QTc interval (Bazett's) measured at Visit 1 or randomization is prolonged * Patients who have been vaccinated with live attenuated vaccines within 30 days prior to screening or during the run-in period. * Patients unable to successfully use a dry powder inhaler device, MDI or perform spirometry measurements Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.