インド政府、国営エア・インディアの全株売却へ 入札情報発表

【ムンバイＡＦＰ＝時事】インド政府は27日、累積債務に苦しむ国営航空エア・インディアの全株式を売却する方針を明らかにした。（写真は資料写真）
　エア・インディアは８０億ドル（約８７００億円）以上の赤字を抱え、給与支払いや燃料購入さえ困難な状況にある。当局は先ごろ、売却先が見つからなければ運航を停止せざるを得ないと警告していた。
　民間航空省は２７日、政府保有の全株式を売却する入札の詳細を発表。第１回入札募集締め切りを３月１７日に設定した。同省によると、入札希望者はエア・インディアの債務のうち約３２億６０００万ドル（約３５５０億円）を引き受けなければならない。
　政府は２０１８年、エア・インディア株の７６％を売却する計画を進めていたが、買い手が付かず頓挫（とんざ）していた。
　１９３２年設立のエア・インディアは、かつてはインド唯一の航空会社で「空のマハラジャ（大王）」と呼ばれ親しまれた。だが、世界一高い成長率を誇る一方で価格競争が最も熾烈（しれつ）なインドの航空市場で、格安航空にシェアを奪われ、１０年以上経営不振が続いている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/01/28-12:39）

New Delhi intends to sell its entire stake in the debt-crippled national carrier Air India, the government announced Monday, after failing previously to secure any bids for a majority share.
The airline, which owes more than $8 billion, has been struggling to pay salaries and buy fuel, with officials recently warning that it would have to shut down unless a buyer was found.
On Monday the civil aviation ministry released a document inviting bids for a 100 percent stake, setting March 17 as the deadline for initial submissions.
Potential buyers would have to assume around $3.26 billion in debt, the document said.
The government was forced in 2018 to shelve plans to sell a 76 percent stake in Air India after failing to attract any bidders.
India's Tata Group, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and IndiGo were all linked to a takeover but subsequently ruled themselves out.
Founded in 1932 and formerly India's monopoly airline, the company was once known affectionately as the Maharaja of the skies.
But it has been haemorrhaging money for more than a decade and has lost market share to low-cost rivals in one of the world's fastest-growing but most competitive airline markets.
In November aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said the airline would have to close down if it is not privatised.
State-run oil companies halted fuel supplies to Air India in August after it fell behind on payments, though the firms agreed to lift the suspension a month later after talks brokered by the government.
The country's aviation sector has been stuck in a slump since the collapse of Jet Airways last year.