(FT) -- A newly merged British Airways and Iberia would be "very interested" in investing in an Indian airline, BA chief Willie Walsh said on Saturday as he announced a groundbreaking code-share deal with India's Kingfisher Airlines.
"Without question this is a market for the future," said Mr Walsh, who is set to head the new International Airlines Group company to be formed under the Iberia merger due to be finalised by the end of this year.
"The ambition of IAG is to pursue further opportunities for consolidation and I can certainly let you speculate that IAG would be very interested in participating in the Indian market," he told reporters in Mumbai on his second trip to the city in a month.
"It's too early for me to say for definite, given the new company hasn't yet gone into action, that would be early next year," he added. "But the ambition of the new company would be to pursue further consolidation and this is a very important market".
India lets international investors own stakes in its airlines, but not foreign carriers. There has been talk of changing the law however, as local carriers including Kingfisher and rival Jet Airways seek funds to expand in one of the world's fastest growing aviation markets.
CNN
