Jet Airways and Etihad have submitted revised documents to the government seeking to allay the FIPB’s concerns over control of their proposed venture, saying the commercial cooperation agreement (CCA) will not override powers vested with the company’s board.
“We confirm that the CCA will not undermine the powers of the board of the company at any time to enter/exit from such commercial arrangement,” according to a joint note submitted by Jet Airways and Etihad Airways to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).
Naresh Goyal-led Jet has also changed the shareholders agreement and amended the investment agreement and the articles of association, as suggested by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), headed by the DEA Secretary, Arvind Mayaram, official sources said.
They said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs could take up the deal for approval in the next few weeks. The CCEA will consider the proposal because the foreign investment involved is higher than Rs 1,200 crore.
Earlier, the FIPB said SEBI would ascertain if control rests with the Jet Airways board, as per the revised CCA.
The FIPB had approved a proposal for Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways to buy a 26 per cent stake in Jet Airways for Rs 2,058 crore with certain riders on July 29.
The riders include Jet seeking government approval before changing the shareholders agreement with Etihad and any arbitration to take place under Indian law, not English law as proposed earlier.