Praful Patel accuses Singapore Airlines of silence after Air India crash

Former civil aviation minister Praful Patel on Tuesday lashed out at Singapore Airlines (SIA) for what he called a 'deafening silence' following the crash of Air India flight AI171, questioning why a key shareholder and maintenance partner of the airline had failed to publicly respond for nearly six days.
Patel's remarks came in the wake of the June 12 crash of the Ahmedabad-London Dreamliner flight, in which 241 passengers and crew were killed shortly after takeoff — one of the deadliest aviation disasters involving an Indian carrier.
SIA, when asked for a reaction to Patel's remarks, told Business Standard that it had been in close contact with Air India and Tata Sons, and continued to offer full support.
In a post on X, Patel wrote: 'In all the sorrow and din surrounding the Air India crash, there remains a surprising silence — or perhaps ignorance — about the role of a substantial shareholder, and the entity responsible for maintaining a large number, if not all, of Air India's wide-body aircraft.'
'Guess the name: Singapore Airlines...They seem to be in hiding,' he added.
Patel pointed out that Singapore Airlines has a say in the management of Air India and noted that Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer of Air India, is a nominee of SIA and earlier headed its low-cost arm Scoot. 'Let's not forget — they have a say in management and a codeshare agreement with Air India,' he said, concluding with the question: 'Why this deafening silence, SQ?'
SQ is the IATA (International Air Transport Association) code for Singapore Airlines.
Responding to Business Standard's query on Patel's post, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson said: 'The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of everyone affected by the devastating Air India flight AI171 accident. We have been in close contact with our partner Tata Sons and Air India, and continue to offer our full support and all necessary assistance to them during this difficult time.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

30 minutes ago

• Time of India

DGCA seeks details of Air India inspections and audits since 2024: Sources

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has asked flight operations inspectors to provide details of all inspections and audits conducted for Air India since 2024, sources said on Saturday. The details on the findings of the inspections and audits will have to be submitted by Sunday, they said. In an e-mailed communication, which came a day after the regulator issued a show-cause notice to the airline for flight duty time limitations (FDTL) violation, and also ordered removal of the airline's three senior officials from their respective roles for certain lapses, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought these details for 2024 and 2025 (to date), the sources said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here's A List Of Cheapest Steel Suppliers In 2025 (See List) Steel Suppliers | search ads Search Now Undo The data has been sought on planned and unplanned inspections, audit, cockpit/ enroute, station facility, ramp and cabin inspection among others, as per the communication. The Tata Group airline has been facing intense scrutiny since one of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12, killing over 270 people on board and on the ground. Live Events The inspection and audit details sought by the safety regulator include findings on ramp and cabin, among others.

News18

30 minutes ago

• News18

Not So ‘Nobel'? Why Pakistan's Push For Trump Reeks Of A Strategic Gamble

Last Updated: Official sources in India said Pakistan's move is aimed at strengthening ties with US, securing economic and technological support, and gaining American backing on Kashmir In a diplomatic move, Pakistan has formally nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Official sources within Pakistan's government have confirmed that the nomination stems from their belief that Trump played a pivotal role in defusing the tensions during the India-Pakistan crisis of May 2025. However, official sources in India told CNN-News18 that Pakistan's move is aimed at strengthening ties with the United States, securing economic and technological support, and gaining American backing for its position on the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan's Desperate Push The Nobel nomination comes after what Islamabad describes as Trump's 'decisive diplomatic intervention" in de-escalating the May 2025 crisis between India and Pakistan. Pakistani officials have credited Trump for averting what could have been a catastrophic nuclear conflict. 'This move is about acknowledging President Trump's key role in ensuring peace during a period of intense crisis," one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'We believe that Trump's mediation was instrumental in averting escalation, and we are seeking international recognition of his contribution." However, this narrative has been categorically rejected by India. Indian government sources have expressed strong opposition to Pakistan's claims, dismissing them as factually incorrect and misleading. In an official statement, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri rejected the suggestion that Trump mediated the crisis, stating, 'India did not seek or accept any third-party mediation during the crisis, and Pakistan's attempts to rewrite the history of the events are not based in reality." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his public remarks, further dismissed Pakistan's narrative, refusing to engage with any external mediation efforts, including those from Trump. 'India has always managed its security concerns on its own and does not require the intervention of any third party," he said. This week, PM Modi also declined Trump's invite to visit the United States on his return journey from Canada, citing his pre-existing schedule. The development came as PM Modi spoke with Trump and set the record straight that India's 'Operation Sindoor' was 'paused" following a request from Pakistan and not due to mediation or offer of a trade deal by the US. According to official sources within the Indian government, the Indian leadership maintained full control over the crisis and managed it without any foreign involvement. Indian Defence Secretary RK Singh provided further details, telling a news agency: 'All communications during the crisis were thoroughly documented, including logs and records that make it clear that India initiated the calls. Any claims of third-party mediation are unfounded." Singh's comments were aimed at countering Pakistan's narrative, which has been widely disseminated in international forums and media. The Kashmir Angle Pakistan's push to nominate Trump is also linked to its long-standing goal of internationalising the Kashmir issue. Islamabad has consistently sought global support for its position on Kashmir, which India maintains is a bilateral issue to be resolved solely between the two countries. Indian government officials have made it clear that any third-party involvement in the Kashmir dispute is unacceptable. 'The Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter, and India will not tolerate any external interference," said a senior Ministry of External Affairs official, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Pakistan's attempt to gain international support through this Nobel nomination is part of its ongoing campaign to internationalise Kashmir, which India has firmly rejected." In contrast, Pakistan has highlighted Trump's previous offers to mediate the Kashmir dispute as evidence of his willingness to involve himself in the issue. According to Pakistani diplomatic sources, this endorsement of Trump is aimed at pushing the United States to take a more active role in the region. Munir's Ambition The diplomatic push for the Nobel nomination has raised eyebrows in both Pakistan and India. There are reports that General Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, is positioning himself as a potential co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Trump. While this remains unconfirmed, Indian intelligence sources suggest that Munir's growing role in shaping Pakistan's foreign policy may be influencing the country's decision to publicly support Trump. 'Munir is an ambitious leader," said an Indian security analyst, 'and while the Nobel campaign may seem like a strategic move to secure Pakistani interests, it could also be a personal gambit to raise his own stature on the international stage." Interestingly, the nomination demand came after a rare White House meeting between Trump and Munir in which geo-political issues ranging from the Israel-Iran conflict, and Kashmir to defence purchasing were discussed. The Bigger Picture For Pakistan, the move is seen as a way to potentially gain economic concessions, technological transfers, and a softer US stance on its nuclear programme. In particular, Pakistan hopes that by aligning itself with Trump's leadership, it can secure American backing for its position on Kashmir, despite India's firm objections. top videos View all For India, however, the matter is a reminder that, despite Pakistan's claims, the Kashmir issue remains firmly within India's domain and will not be internationalised through external mediation. The coming months will reveal whether Pakistan's strategic gamble will pay off or whether it will simply be seen as a fleeting diplomatic gesture in the complex web of South Asian geopolitics. tags : Asim Munir donald trump Kashmir Nobel Prize pakistan United states Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: June 21, 2025, 11:36 IST News world Not So 'Nobel'? Why Pakistan's Push For Trump Reeks Of A Strategic Gamble | Exclusive

Indian Express

40 minutes ago

• Indian Express

World's biggest banks increased fossil fuel financing by $162 billion in 2024: Report

The world's largest 65 banks committed $869 billion in 2024 to companies in the fossil fuels sector, up from $707 billion in 2023, with State Bank of India (SBI) one of nearly 50 large banks that increased their financing for the same compared to the previous year. 'This growth in fossil fuel finance is troubling because new fossil fuel infrastructure locks in more decades of fossil fuel dependence. As the IEA's (International Energy Agency) 2024 Energy Investment Outlook report states, '(a)chieving net zero emissions globally by 2050 would mean annual investment in oil, gas, and coal falls by more than half' by 2030,' said the Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2025 by a group of eight environment organisations together called Banking on Climate Chaos Coalition. To be sure, SBI accounted for only a fraction of the total fossil fuel financing in 2024 and only saw a small increase last year compared to other lenders. As per the report, SBI was the only Indian bank in the top 65 with a $65 million increase in fossil fuel financing in 2024 from 2023 to $2.62 billion, putting it at the 47th spot out of the 65 banks, up from 49 in 2023. In comparison, JPMorgan Chase retained its top spot in the list as it gave $53.5 billion to fossil fuel companies last year, $15 billion more than it did in 2023. This is more than SBI's total fossil fuel financing of $10.6 billion from 2021 to 2024. Earlier this year in February, SBI Chairman CS Setty said the bank is targeting to be net zero in terms of emissions by 2055. Before that, the bank is aiming to have at least 7.5 per cent of its domestic gross advances to be green advances by 2030. As at the end of the quarter ended March, SBI's domestic advances stood at Rs 36.02 lakh crore. It had sanctioned a combined fund and non-fund-based limit of Rs 20,558 crore for sustainable finance activities. According to Bengaluru-based think-tank Climate Risk Horizons, coal financing is a 'huge blind spot' for Indian banks. 'Among the top 1000 BSE-listed banks as of March 2024, only Federal Bank and RBL Bank have adopted explicit coal exclusion or phase-out policies… The economics are clear: coal is no longer the cheap energy source it once was. Renewable energy and storage can now provide electricity at or below the cost of coal, with continued cost declines likely,' the think-tank's analysts said in a post in March 2025 warning that Indian banks were falling behind in the sustainable finance race. The report found that fossil fuel financing by the world's largest banks rose in 2024 after declining in 2023 came amid watering down of exclusion policies and policy rollbacks. '…what was once largely a North American trend is now going global. European banks –often seen as more progressive on climate due to the quality of their sector policies – also began backtracking,' it said. In March, American lender Wells Fargo scrapped plans to become net zero by 2050, weeks after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order announcing the country's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. The US' withdrawal — which will take effect in early 2026 and see the world's largest economy join Iran, Libya, and Yemen as those not party to the Paris Agreement — has been part of a series of steps taken by the Trump administration to promote fossil fuels even in the face of 2024 being the hottest year ever recorded. In January, the US Treasury Department withdrew its membership of the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System —a voluntary global coalition that looks to mobilise green finance and develop recommendations for climate-risk management in the financial sector — as part of the aforementioned executive order signed by Trump. And ahead of Trump's inauguration, the US' six largest banks left the UN-sponsored Net Zero Banking Alliance. A committee of the US Senate also approved draft legislation this week that would hit key tax incentives for clean energy. The increase in fossil fuel financing by banks in 2024 marked a reversal of decreasing lending to the segment. While nearly $3.3 trillion has been made available to fossil fuel businesses since 2021, the 65 banks in the 2025 report have committed $7.9 trillion in fossil fuel financing since the Paris Agreement came into force in 2016. In 2024, financing for acquisitions increased by $19.2 billion to $82.9 billion. While mergers and acquisitions don't directly create new infrastructure, 'this consolidation — for which bank financing is critical — is often an attempt to grow the power and competitiveness of fossil fuel companies, at a time when the world actually needs to phase out fossil fuels', the report said. Siddharth Upasani is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. He reports primarily on data and the economy, looking for trends and changes in the former which paint a picture of the latter. Before The Indian Express, he worked at Moneycontrol and financial newswire Informist (previously called Cogencis). Outside of work, sports, fantasy football, and graphic novels keep him busy. ... Read More