The civil aviation ministry is all set to grant the no-objection certificate (NOC) for issue of the operator’s permit to Malaysia-based low-cost carrier AirAsia to launch its airline in India. Sources said it has been concluded that AirAsia has fulfilled the criteria for grant of the NOC which is now expected to be granted very soon. It was also noted that the requisite security clearances by the Union home ministry have also been given. Once the aviation ministry grants the NOC, AirAsia will have to obtain the Operator’s Permit from aviation regulator DGCA. The new airline could begin operations by December this year or January next year.
The government’s Fore-ign Investment Promo-tion Board had earlier approved the investment proposal of AirAsia to launch an airline in India. AirAsia had anno-unced that it had decided to enter into a joint venture with Tata Sons Ltd to start a new airline and had applied for permission. Under the new FDI law that allows a foreign airline to pick up stake in an Indian carrier up to 49 per cent, AirAsia had said it would seek approval to invest in the joint venture.