Qatar Air keen to pick up 49% stake in IndiGo

NEW DELHI / DUBAI: Qatar Airways has yet again expressed its desire to acquire up to 49 per cent stake in India's only profitable airline, IndiGo. However, the management of the low-cost carrier says that it has no plans to sell its stake to a foreign airline.

"We're not in talks, we have a personal relationship between us and the owner of IndiGo.... He (IndiGo promoter) has indicated they are not planning to sell a stake in IndiGo, but once they consider I'm interested," Qatar Airways' CEO Akbar Al Baker told the media in Dubai Wednesday.

Al Baker has several times in the past also said that his airline wants to pick up a stake in IndiGo. While IndiGo has not responded to these repeated offers, at least two existing Indian airlines are trying to find investors along with some other desi players, who have been given licences to start airlines here.