new delhi at 86 the maharaja is a hot bachelor for suitors from across the globe with an indian connection thanks to the governments move to allow foreign airlines to be part owners of soon to be privatised air indiathe tatasingapore airlines sia jv vistara and jet airways in which abu dhabibased etihad has 24 stake can now bid for the airline after this amendment vistara ceo leslie thng had last week said the airlines promoters had an open mind for ai if it made business senseindigo which has given a formal expression of interest for the airline arm of the maharaja can now tie up with a foreign airline to get the longhaul expertise and finances required to bid for ai dohabased qatar airways has long wanted to invest in indigo and more recently shown interest in having a domestic airline in indiaacquiring ais flight operations needs solid financial muscle and then running it requires serious expertise in medium and longhaul operations from day one combinations like tatasia indigo with a big foreign airline and jet with its multiple international airline partners can provide both those things with the fdi policy for ai the government shows it is serious for divesting in ai said a senior airline officialpossible bidders like these were waiting for clarification on foreign airlines partowning ai as last august the government had issued a consolidated foreign direct investment fdi policy which said that while foreign carriers can own up to 49 stake in indian carriers this was not applicable to ai the modi government has brought ai on a par with private indian airlines in terms of being eligible to be owned up to 49 by foreign airlines with the condition being that the desi carriers substantial ownership and control soec should remain with indians and the local jv partnerkapil kaul of centre for asia pacific aviation feels that the wednesday decision could lead to 46 serious bids for ai subject to bid conditions