Hyderabad: Amid concerns in certain quarters over the control of no-frills airline AirAsia India, Malaysia-based AirAsia Group's chief Tony Fernandes today said he has applied for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status.
AirAsia India is a three-way venture between AirAsia, Tatas and Arun Bhatia's Telestra Tradeplace with 49 per cent owned by the Malaysian group.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of India Aviation 2016 event here, Fernandes said he has applied for OCI status.
"I have already applied. I applied last week... Then I will be the same as everyone else... I will be the same as Naresh Goyal (Jet Airways Chairman)," he said.
"There will be a big party when I get my approval," he added.
In an apparent swipe at established competitors raising concerns over foreign ownership at AirAsia India, Fernandes said the whole thing looks "bizarre" to him.
"Naresh Goyal lives in London as an NRI. SpiceJet used to be owned by an American. IndiGo has tonnes of American shareholders. In fact, you can look at the shareholding, there is more foreign shareholding than local shareholding," Fernandes noted.
Among others, those who are a citizen of another country, but were a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after, the commencement of the constitution, are eligible to have OCI status.
16/03/16 PTI/Business Standard
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AirAsia India is a three-way venture between AirAsia, Tatas and Arun Bhatia's Telestra Tradeplace with 49 per cent owned by the Malaysian group.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of India Aviation 2016 event here, Fernandes said he has applied for OCI status.
"I have already applied. I applied last week... Then I will be the same as everyone else... I will be the same as Naresh Goyal (Jet Airways Chairman)," he said.
"There will be a big party when I get my approval," he added.
In an apparent swipe at established competitors raising concerns over foreign ownership at AirAsia India, Fernandes said the whole thing looks "bizarre" to him.
"Naresh Goyal lives in London as an NRI. SpiceJet used to be owned by an American. IndiGo has tonnes of American shareholders. In fact, you can look at the shareholding, there is more foreign shareholding than local shareholding," Fernandes noted.
Among others, those who are a citizen of another country, but were a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after, the commencement of the constitution, are eligible to have OCI status.
16/03/16 PTI/Business Standard
