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Government has not yet taken any decision on Air India’s bidders: Piyush Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said that the government had not taken any decision on Air India so far and that the final winner would be selected through a well-defined process. 


“I have been in Dubai since...day before, and I don’t think there is any such decision that has happened at all. Of course, bids were invited,...and that is assessed by the officers, and in due course of time, there is a whole well-laid-down process through which the final winner will be selected,” he told reporters in Dubai. 


The minister was replying to a question about media reports stating that the Tatas had emerged as the top bidder for the takeover of debt-laden Air India. 


Tuhin Kanta Pandey, the Secretary to the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) – the government department responsible for privatisation – had said in a tweet on Friday that the Centre had so far not approved any financial bid for Air India. 


“Media reports indicating approval of financial bids by Government of India in the AI disinvestment case are incorrect. Media will be informed of the Government’s decision as and when it is taken,” Mr Pandey had tweeted. 


When asked about the proposed free trade agreement with the UAE, Mr Goyal said that there were a lot of opportunities for Indian businesses in sectors such as textile, gem and jewellery, pharmaceutical and healthcare. There was tremendous potential in both goods and services, he added. 


On investments, he added: “We have to encourage Indian businesses to engage with the UAE.”

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