Expect Air India to be taken over by an Indian company: Hardeep Puri

NEW DELHI: Civil aviation and housing minister Hardeep Puri said on Thursday that he expected Air India to be taken over by an Indian company, while suggesting that it was a golden opportunity to sell the national carrier which is losing over Rs 20 crore a day.
The minister also backed a complete government exit from Air India, although he added that the final decision will be taken by a ministerial panel. “That decision has to be taken by the alternate mechanism (ministerial panel) but my personal opinion is that it should be sold completely. It’s a golden opportunity. It’s a first-class asset, with a good safety record, engineering, routes and a strong brand. An asset vacuum has been created by Jet (Airways) and the conditions are good, with moderate fuel prices and a stable exchange rate,” Puri told TOI in an interview.