The Government has allowed three private airlines to have FDI joint venture and also plans to implement the revamping of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) soon. “The Government has allowed different limits of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for varied services in the aviation sector. At <g data-gr-id="21">present</g> the airlines have been granted permission by Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to have joint Venture with foreign Airlines include:
“Jet Airways with Etihad Airways (foreign airline), Air Asia (India) Pvt. Ltd is joint venture of three Companies i.e. TATA Sons Ltd, Air Asia Berhad (foreign Airline) and Telestra Tradeplace Pvt. Ltd. and TATA-SIA Airlines Ltd is joint venture of TATA Sons and Singapore Airlines (foreign airlines). The above three Airlines are operational at present,” said Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mahesh Sharma in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The minister said that the Government has issued Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) 12/2013 on Guidelines for foreign direct investment in aviation sector, which also includes pre-conditions for such investments and the same are available in public domain. Sharma also informed the House regarding the revamp of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). “The Ministry had engaged an expert team of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2011 for making suggestions for restructuring of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and for sufficient operational infrastructure for aviation security.
“On the basis of the recommendation of the said expert team, Ministry of Civil Aviation has already worked out the requirement of manpower in BCAS,” said the minister.
“The strengthening of BCAS is expected to ensure presence of the regulatory authority (for civil aviation security in the country) at all airports, which will enable better functioning at field level leading to better security oversight and quality control of civil aviation security in the country,” he added.