Air India Limited was incorporated on 30 March 2007 as the National Aviation Company of India Limited to oversee the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines.[4] It was renamed as Air India Limited on 26 October 2010.[5]
Air India Limited was privatized through its sale to the Tata Group. On 8 October 2021, Tata Sons paid ₹180 billion (US$2.44 billion) to Government of India, with Tata also assuming ₹153 billion (US$2.07 billion) of Air India Limited's debt as per the transfer deal.[6][7] The remaining ₹462.62 billion (US$6.26 billion) of Air India Limited's debt was also transferred to AlAHL.[8][9]
The Tata Group requested approval from the CCI to merge AirAsia India and Vistara with Air India Limited in April 2022,[10] which was granted on 14 June 2022.[11] After the completion of Vistara's merger with Air India in 2024, Singapore Airlines obtained a 25.1% stake in Air India Limited.[12]
On the anniversary of the airline's founder J. R. D. Tata's birth in 2023, its headquarters in Gurgaon was inaugurated.[13]
Structure
Corporate structure
Air India Limited
Air India Express Limited
AI SATS Airport Services Private Limited
On 15 April 2022, Alliance Air was no longer a subsidiary of Air India Limited. Alliance Air is now the only airline under the control of the Government of India.[14]
Controversies and issues
Data breach (2021)
In 2021, Air India disclosed a cybersecurity incident affecting approximately 4.5 million passengers, involving personal data such as passport details and contact information.[15]
Safety lapses and regulatory scrutiny
Air India has faced repeated scrutiny from aviation regulators over safety compliance. An audit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) identified multiple safety lapses, including training deficiencies and operational shortcomings.[16]
Subsequent reports indicated that the airline recorded a high number of serious safety violations, including critical findings affecting operational safety.[17] Additional regulatory notices highlighted issues such as crew fatigue management and gaps in training compliance.[18]
In 2026, European aviation authorities also flagged safety concerns during inspections of Air India aircraft, leading to increased regulatory oversight.[19]
