Air India Sale LIVE Updates: Air India sale chronology
1932: Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (JRD) Tata founded the airline and named it Tata Airlines.
1946: Aviation division of Tata Sons gets listed as Air India,
1948: Air India International was launched with flights to Europe.
1953: Air India nationalised
2000-01: NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee tried to sell a minority stake in Air India. Singapore Airlines along with the Tata group showed interest in buying the stake, but eventually Singapore Airlines pulled out mainly due to opposition to privatisation by trade unions.
2004-14: Congress-led UPA governments did not pursue any privatisation agenda including that of Air India.
2007-08: Air India started suffering losses every year since its merger with Indian Airlines.
June 2017: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave in-principle approval to the consideration for strategic disinvestment of Air India and its five subsidiaries.
March 2018: Government invites EoI from investors for buying 76 percent stake in Air India, remaining 26 percent to be with the government.
May 2018: No bids received for Air India.
June 2018: Government decides to go slow on Air India sale till oil prices soften.
January 2020: Government floats EoI for Air India privatisation. Government to fully exit Air India by selling 100 percent.
October 2020: Government sweetens deal; gives flexibility to investors to decide on the amount of Air India debt they want to absorb.
December 2020: DIPAM Secretary said Air India EOI received "multiple bids".
April 2021: Government starts inviting financial bids for Air India. September 15 last date to put in bids.
September 2021: Income Tax department allows new owners of Air India to carry forward losses and set it off against future profits.
September 2021: Tata Group, Spicejet Promoter Ajay Singh put in financial bids.
October 2021: Government announces Tata group makes winning bid of Rs 18,000 crore for Air India.