Reportedly the Indian government is planning to allow foreign aviation firms to invest directly in Indian air carriers, which are facing severe cash crunch and competitive pressure. India's industry secretary, R. P. Singh said that the government is considering allowing them to buy stakes in Indian carriers. The government’s policy on foreign investment in aviation is restrictive at present. It allows foreign investment of up to 49 percent in Indian carriers but the foreign airlines are not permitted to invest directly or indirectly in domestic carriers.

According to a senior government official, the government might soon allow foreign aviation players to invest in demotic airlines.

India's industry secretary, R. P. Singh said that the government is considering allowing them to buy stakes in Indian carriers. The government already allows foreign investment of up to 49 percent in Indian carriers. However, the foreign airlines are not permitted to invest directly or indirectly in domestic carriers.

2008 was the struggling period for Air India when Austrian Gustav Baldauf, a former pilot with 14,000 hours of flying experience was appointed as chief operating officer at Air India. With his take over it was expected that it would be a turning point for the airline. But Baldauf resigned on February 28 due to unavoidable reasons when everybody lost hope for the Air India.

Air India is in an immediate need of right from fixing day to day operations to adjusting its increasing debts and loss of market share. After his resignations everything remains as puzzled as before.

On Tuesday, a senior official has stated that the civil aviation
ministry and the union finance ministry will raise the topic of the
proposed increase in service tax on air travel.

In a recent
industry event, the Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi has said that
they have received a presentation from the Federation of Indian Airlines
(FIA) on the service tax issue and they are having discussion with the
finance ministry. They will raise the issue in front of the ministry and
are expecting to come up with some solution soon.

Nasim has

New Delhi, Jan 8 : Union Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi on Friday said that the Centre is committed to build strong partnership with Overseas Indian Community.

Addressing the Overseas Indian Community here on the occasion of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, Ravi said: Efforts are being made to develop an inclusive agenda for engaging them to provide wide range roles and fulfill expectations of the NRIs.”

New Delhi, Jan 8 : A new proposal to issue infrastructure bonds to overseas Indians will give a fresh investment option to ordinary Indian investors abroad, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said Friday.

"It is a very good proposal. We can give the middle class Indian community abroad an opportunity to invest in the road construction sector in the country, which will see high growth," Ravi said at a press conference in the course of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2010, the annual conclave of the Indian diaspora, here.

New Delhi, Jan 6 : After the Gulf nations, Europe is emerging as the next window of opportunity for Indian workers and the country would do its bit to promote and protect their interests, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi has said.

Chennai, Nov 28: Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi on Saturday said that there will be no exodus of Indians on account of Dubai World crisis in the United Arab Emirates.

Addressing a function to unveil HIV dialysis machine in Chennai, Ravi said: "We are not expecting any kind of Indian workers exodus back to India. They may remain there that is our report."

"Our feedback from the embassy, feedback from the consulate general office is that there is nothing to worry. And I hope our workers can remain there and their interest can be protected," Ravi said.

New Delhi, Nov 28 : There is no cause for worry over potential job losses among Indians employed in the Gulf following the the multi-billion-dollar debt default risk faced by Dubai World, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said Saturday.

"There is no need to panic," the minister told IANS over the phone from Chennai, adding: "I have feedback from our consulate general in Dubai and our embassies there. We are not expecting any kind of exodus of Indian workers to India."

New Delhi, Nov 26 : The government is trying to stop illegal migration by targeting the "nefarious activities of Indian intermediaries" in other countries, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said here Thursday.

"We are taking legislative and administrative measures to deal firmly with irregular migration," Ravi said at a meeting with the heads of Indian missions to countries with a large Indian worker population like Libya, Malaysia, Yemen, the Maldives and the Gulf.

New Delhi, Oct 8 : The Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi, has congratulated Indian American Dr. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan on his being honoured with the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

In his message, he said: "I express my hearty congratulations to Ramakrishnan upon his winning the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. His pioneering work on ribosome will benefit humanity. The people of India are proud by his unprecedented achievement and the Indian Diaspora all over the world is also overwhelmed by his accomplishment."

New Delhi, Oct 5 : The government is working to sign a Labour Mobility Partnership agreement with the European Union, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said here Monday.

The minister, who returned from a European tour Saturday, said the landmark agreement signed with Denmark on Labour Mobility Partnership last week would "enable Danish industry and business to recruit Indians on the fast track".

There was an urgent demand for 1,500 nurses in Denmark, he said.

Brussels, Oct 1 : Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi has called upon the European Union (EU) to strengthen its "strategic economic engagement" with India as the country offers "immense opportunities" for investors, EuAsiaNews reported.

"I stand before you to invite you to develop a medium to long-term strategic economic engagement with a country that offers immense opportunities," he told an EU-India business conference here Wednesday night.

New Delhi, July 8 : Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi on Wednesday notified that Indian Missions in the Gulf Countries in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar have not reported any large scale adverse impact of the global economic slowdown and recession on Indian workers, though there has been reports of some job losses.

The Indian Mission in United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reported that accurate figures of return of Indian workers are not available, however, it is estimated that 50,000 to

New Delhi, Feb.11 (ANI): Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi on Wednesday informed mediapersons that at least 39 items and legislations would be taken up during the 15th Session of the Fourteenth Lok Sabha and the 215th Session of the Rajya Sabha, which commences on February 12 and may conclude on February 26.

He said that the session would have ten sittings spread over a period of 15 days.

New Delhi, Sept 17 : India has conveyed to American businessmen that the approval of the landmark Indo-US civil nuclear deal will open new opportunities for them and contribute to energy security besides reducing global warming.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, while addressing a luncheon meeting organised by the United States-India Business Council, pointed out India''s impeccable record on non-proliferation.

Ravi, who is heading a high-level delegation to the United States, said that India would maintain a moratorium on testing.

He said, “The accord would also help India to combat climate change and strengthen global non-proliferation.”

New Delhi, Jan. 4 : We want to engage the (Indian) diaspora at every level through Pravasi Bharatiya Divas,” stated Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs.

The 6th PBD will focus on development of the common man and rural women. The Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate the convention, and President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will deliver the valedictory address and confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award. Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam will be the chief guest.