Qatar Airways mulls first fully foreign-owned airline in India

New Delhi, Mar 8: India may soon get its first fully-foreign owned airline after the Modi government allowed 100% FDI in the sector last June. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said in Berlin Wednesday that he plans to start an airline in India with the investment arm of Qatar government.

A Qatar Airways spokesperson quoted the CEO saying that since India now allows 100% FDI, he plans to do so with Qatar Investment Authority. Baker also said that he will be making an application to launch a domestic airline in India soon.
Qatar Airways has for many years been eyeing a stake in IndiGo but the Indian budget carrier has not done so.

Last June, the Modi government had allowed Indian carriers to be fully owned by foreign entities. While foreign carriers will still be required to have up to 49% stake in airlines here, they can now get a foreign partner — like a sovereign wealth fund or an institutional investor — and not look for an Indian partner to put in the remaining 51%.

However, India is yet to review the issue of "substantial ownership and effective control (SOEC)" in the fully-foreign owned airlines it had allowed last June. Currently, flying licences are given to an airline in India only if its chairperson and two-third of the directors are Indians and if the SOEC is with Indian nationals.

The issue of SOEC being with Indians arises at two times -- issuing the operating licence and giving bilateral rights that India has to its airlines for flying abroad.

The requirement of SOEC is also a condition from International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regarding bilateral rights.

Which means if an Indian airline has more than 49% foreign ownership, then there may be an issue in getting the bilateral rights for flying abroad. But there will be no bar on flying within India.

At present, only three Indian carriers have investment by foreign airlines. Abu Dhabi's Etihad has a 24% stake in Jet Airways. Tata Group holds 51% stake in Vistara and AirAsia India each, with Singapore Airlines and AirAsia Berhad having the remaining 49% in them respectively.

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Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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