air india: Air India’s Rs 5,000 crore unpaid fuel bills weigh on oil companies amid flaring crude

Oct 31, 2021

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NEW DELHI: Air India’s unpaid gasoline payments of about Rs 5,000 crore is weighing on gasoline retailers who want additional money for getting extra {dollars} to pay for costlier crude at a time when demand is choosing up.
Trade executives stated they have been but to listen to from the federal government on the timeline for fee, although the Centre has stated it might take over the service’s complete dues of practically Rs 16,000 crore and non-core property by means of a holding firm earlier than the Tatas take over.
IndianOil alone accounts for Rs 3,000 crore, or 60%, of Air India’s unpaid gasoline payments. Different gasoline suppliers collectively account for the remaining Rs 2,000 crore dues, in line with business estimates.
Such a lot of dues will likely be a drag on money circulate of the nation’s largest oil refiner and gasoline retailer. Taking on of the legal responsibility by the proposed holding agency, Air India Asset Holding Firm, might assure future fee however will probably be lengthy earlier than the brand new entity can monetise the non-core property it’ll take over and clear the dues. Within the meantime, IndianOil and different suppliers might need to borrow cash to purchase crude.
Crude costs are ruling at a seven-year excessive of $85 per barrel, which is telling on the money wants of oil corporations. Gas demand can also be rising at a trot, with petrol demand surpassing the pre-pandemic degree, diesel consumption nearing that mark and jet gasoline gross sales at 75% of 2019.
The holding firm is to take over Air India’s non-core property akin to land, buildings and work valued at Rs 14,718 crore. As well as, the entity would additionally take over unpaid payments of airport operators and different distributors, which add as much as Rs 15,834 crore, or greater than 1 / 4 of the service’s Rs 61,562 crore debt on the finish of August.



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