Aviation Ministry gives nod to Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air to operate in India
New Delhi, Oct 11: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has given a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the operation of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed new airline 'Akasa Air' in India, a company statement said on Monday.
The new airline aims to start operations by the summer of 2022, the holding company, SNV Aviation Private Limited, said.
Akasa Air is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and ex-Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube.
We are extremely happy and grateful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for their support and for the grant of the NOC," Dube, who is now the CEO of Akasa Air, was quoted as saying in the statement.
"We will continue to work with the regulatory authorities on all additional compliances required to successfully launch Akasa Air," he added.
Akasa Air also has former IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh on its board.
The airline plans to operate approximately 70 planes in the next four years.
Airbus is in conversation with Akasa for an aircraft procurement deal, Airbus' Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer told PTI last week.
Akasa has been in discussions with US plane manufacturer Boeing to procure its B737 Max planes, multiple media reports had said two months back. Airbus' A320 series of aircraft competes with Boeing's B737 series of planes in the aviation market.
Dube said on Monday: At Akasa Air, we believe having a robust air transportation system is critical for our nation's progress. It is this belief that has motivated us to create a modern, efficient, quality-conscious airline."
Akasa Air will serve all Indians regardless of their socio-economic or cultural backgrounds with warmth, inclusiveness and respect, he stated.
"Because at the end of the day, it is these qualities that connect people and cultures and help Indians realise their dreams, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 5 met Jhunjhunwala, noting that he is very bullish about the Indian economy.
"Delighted to meet the one and only Rakesh Jhunjhunwala... lively, insightful and very bullish on India," Modi had tweeted.
When asked on October 8 at the 'India Today Conclave 2021' about his meeting with the PM, Jhunjhunwala, without divulging much, had said they talked about the economy.
"I told the prime minister that the economy is going to take off," he had noted.
When asked about his entry into the aviation sector when some companies have gone bust, Jhunjhunwala had replied, he cannot say much but he is prepared for any outcome.
"We will see what happens. If it becomes successful, I will tell you about it and if it fails, I will simply say I didn't do anything much about it. I am taking a conscious risk...I am hopeful and prepared for failure," he had added.
Delighted to meet the one and only Rakesh Jhunjhunwala...lively, insightful and very bullish on India. pic.twitter.com/7XIINcT2Re
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 5, 2021
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BJP has history of ‘contradictory alliances’, says BK Hariprasad
Bengaluru: Congress MLC B. K. Hariprasad has launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing the party of hypocrisy over its criticism of alliance politics in Tamil Nadu.
In a post on X on Friday, Hariprasad said BJP leader B. L. Santhosh criticising the Congress party’s alliance politics in Tamil Nadu was “not just laughable, but the height of political contradiction.”
He said the Congress has always joined hands with like-minded parties to protect secular and democratic values in the country.
Hariprasad questioned the BJP over several of its past and present alliances across the country. Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tripura, Bihar and Maharashtra, he accused the BJP of sharing power with parties it had earlier criticised.
He alleged that the BJP had aligned with separatist and corruption-linked political forces in different states for political gains.
“The BJP, which speaks against alliances today, should first look at its own political history,” he said, adding that the party’s record was full of “contradictions and changing stands.”
Hariprasad also accused the BJP of using central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and CBI as political tools to target opposition leaders, topple governments and influence electoral mandates.
He further claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu had strongly rejected the BJP and its ideology in the recent election.
“Congress forms alliances to protect the Constitution, secularism and national unity, while the BJP enters into alliances only for power,” he said.
