Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran's BIG plan for Air India: 'My commitment is to take...'

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran reaffirmed his company’s dedication to turning Air India into a top-class airline, offering world-class service and performance. He shared this commitment during a discussion at the Global Alumni Meet of NIT Trichy on Saturday.

Tata Group acquired Air India in 2022 for Rs 18,000 crore, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s history. Chandrasekaran, responding to questions from Ravi Viswanathan, Managing Director of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, emphasised the company's plans to improve Air India in every aspect, including technology, flight experience, and customer service.

"My commitment is to take every effort to make Air India, an absolute top-class airline in the world. In terms of the hardware, the flight experience, customer experience, technology and in every which way." Chandrasekaran said.

On a lighter note, he urged the audience to encourage aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus to expedite deliveries. Air India has placed orders for 470 aircraft, including 250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. Recently, the airline added 100 wide-body A350s and 90 narrow-body A320 aircraft to its order book.

Chandrasekaran also spoke about Tata Sons' ventures in the semiconductor industry, highlighting the group's $18 billion investments in manufacturing, assembly, and testing. He revealed plans to have a semiconductor fabrication unit operational by 2026.

He stressed the need for a persistent, focused approach in the sector, supported by government policies, investments, and academic collaboration. “Building an ecosystem for the semiconductor industry is crucial, and we expect thousands of companies to emerge in the next 18-24 months,” he said.