News
Singapore senior minister says Singapore Airlines investment decision on Air India "lies with SIA", not government
September 7th 2026
Singapore senior minister, K Shanmugam, said on the weekend any decision from Singapore Airlines Group (SIA) to provide further funding support to Air India is for the airline to make, not the government. Read More » Air India has been working with its major shareholders Tata Sons and SIA to secure up to 100 billion rupee (US$1.06 billion) after a challenging period due to the crash of a 787-8 in June last year, the closure of regional airspace amid ongoing tensions with neighbour Pakistan and high fuel prices in response to the U.S.- and Israel-led invasion of Iran. "Any decision to invest in Air India lies with SIA," Shanmugam told reporters on Saturday (September 5), according to a transcript of his remarks posted on the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs website. "Temasek as a shareholder in SIA, along with other shareholders, will expect SIA to make its investment decisions responsibly." SIA holds a 25.1% stake in Air India, with Tata Sons holding 74.9%. The prospect of SIA tipping more funding into Air India has generated widespread debate in Singapore, given the India flag carrier’s recent losses and ongoing struggle for profitability. "The government’s general principle – and this has been stated many times – is that we do not intervene in individual investment decisions, and we don’t put political pressure on how these companies should invest. We should leave it to SIA to decide what it does with its investments. Of course, SIA shareholders, as well as the broader public, have a right to expect that SIA will be accountable and transparent."
