Govt announces plan to sell entire stake in Air India, sets terms for sale

March 17 is deadline for submissions of initial expressions of interest; any bidder would have to agree to assume roughly $3.26 billion in debt.

The government said India said on Monday it plans to sell its entire stake in Air India, in a revised push to sell its national carrier after an initial attempt to sell a majority stake in the airline failed to draw a single bid in 2018.

A document inviting expressions of interest in Air India, released on Monday, said the government would sell a 100 per cent stake in the carrier, which operates both domestic and international routes.

The document set March 17 as the deadline for submissions of initial expressions of interest and said any bidder would have to agree to assume roughly $3.26 billion in debt, along with other liabilities.

The government said that substantial ownership and effective control of Air India would have to remain vested with an Indian entity following the sale, limiting the scope of any foreign bidders interested in the asset. In 2018, India had tried to sell a 76% stake in Air India and offload about $5.1 billion of its debt, terms that potential buyers at the time viewed as too onerous.

Air India, known for its Maharaja mascot, has some of India's most lucrative international and domestic landing and parking slots that are key for airlines.