Ahead of JWG with US, Govt okays AI’s Boeing deal

Days ahead of the crucial second meeting of the joint working group on implementation of the July 18 Indo-US statement, the Government today okayed Air India’s decision to purchase 68 Boeing aircraft. One of the biggest aviation deals—currently valued at around Rs 38,000 crore ($8.1 billion)—it will, however, get its final approval after a last round of negotiations by an Empowered Group of Ministers to be constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The process is not expected to take more than a week. A similar process had been adopted for Indian Airlines when its purchase of 43 Airbus aircraft was cleared.

According to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, the Government was keen on negotiating a ‘‘better deal’’ and it was his ministry that had made the suggestion for an EGOM.