Centre against FDI in local helicopter service cos

New Delhi: The government has decided not to allow foreign airlines to invest in local helicopter service providers, which need only an extra permission to fly airplanes in India — an area where foreign airlines are not welcomed.
This is a tightening of the foreign direct investment (FDI) policy that allows unrestricted foreign investment in helicopter services without prior approval from the government.
India has many large helicopter service providers including Pawan Hans Helicopters, Global Vectra and Jagson Airlines. The move follows a clarification the civil aviation ministry recently made to the finance ministry and the industrial policy and promotion department, that helicopter service providers having non-schedule operator permit are not prevented from importing fixed-wing aircraft or airplanes.
They only have to take permission from the government before importing, said a government official, who asked not to be named. (Unlike scheduled operators, non-scheduled operators do not publish a time table or issue tickets to passengers.)
Hence, such helicopter operators should not be considered as merely providers of helicopter service, where full foreign investment is allowed. Their non-schedule operator permit entails scope for diversification into fixed wing service.
28/09/09 Gireesh Chandra Prasad/Economic Times

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Categories: Foreign Sep 2009, Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2009