New Delhi/Mumbai: Ahead of clinching a deal with Etihad, Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal Thursday met Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh and is understood to have briefed him on the ongoing negotiations over the Gulf carrier's investment move.
Singh and Goyal were closeted for about 45 minutes with sources saying that the Jet-Etihad deal was on the agenda.
Since the government relaxed ownership rules and allowed foreign airlines to buy up to 49 percent stake in Indian airlines, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier has been in talks for a 24 percent equity stake in Jet worth around USD 300 million.
A few weeks ago, Etihad paid Jet USD 70 million for the latter's three slots at London's Heathrow Airport.
A major factor for the delay in clinching the deal is the absence of a Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA) between the two nations, with Indian negotiators trying to convince UAE government not to hold the deal till BIPA was finalised.
18/04/13 ZeeNews
