Mallya claims foreign offers

8220;I have received several Expressions of Interest from foreign airlines as the Kingfisher network is unparalleled. However, I cannot give details,8221; Mallya said in a statement, but industry sources indicated that talks between Kingfisher and foreign carriers were exploratory in nature.

As per the present policy, foreign carriers are not allowed to pick stake in Indian airlines. However, the government allows FDI up to 100 per cent in other areas of the aviation sector, like developing of greenfield airports or in cargo and maintenance.

Mallya has written to the government to permit foreign carriers to pick at least one-fourth of the stake in Indian carriers. 8220;I have requested the government to allow foreign airlines to acquire up to 25 per cent in Indian carriers as I believe aviation should be treated as per international norms,8221; he said. On the possibility of allowing more private and foreign investment in the aviation sector, Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrasekhar said that there was no such plan in the immediate future. 8212; With PTI