The Tatas Thursday announced that the group will partner Singapore Airlines (SIA) in its bid to acquire a 40 per cent stake in Air-India.

Tata Sons and its Indian affiliates will lead the consortium, with Singapore Airlines as their foreign joint venture partner, the group said.

The last date for submitting bids is November 10. Tata group chairman Ratan Tata had earlier gone on record to say that the group had an emotional attachment to Air-India, as the national carrier was founded by the late J R D Tata, former group chairman and Ratan Tata’s predecessor, before it was nationalised.

In a press release, the Tatas said: "Singapore Airlines is a global player with impeccable credentials ... Its airline operating competency will be a significant asset to the consortium and will be critical in ensuring the success of Air India in the international market place."

Cheong Choong Kong, deputy chairman and chief executive officer of SIA, said: "We share a common commitment to the highest standards of quality, service and corporate values and would happily accept the opportunity, if given, to work with the Tata group and Air India to take the Maharajah to greater heights."

The group has, however, not disclosed the terms of the joint venture with SIA. The Tata-Singapore Airlines partnership had earlier made an abortive bid to enter the domestic aviation sector four years back.

Facing objection from various rival interest groups and the civil aviation ministry, the Tatas later decided to go it alone, but with a technical alliance with SIA. When even that proposal was not cleared, after a two year wait the Tatas withdrew the plan to start a domestic airline.

Though the group will bid for Air India, it has said that it does not propose to bid for Indian Airlines.

A British Airways-Jet Airways combine, the Indian Pilot’s Guild (IPG), a consortium of Air France and Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Reliance Industries and ITC are some of the other parties that are likely to pitch for the 40 per cent stake on offer in Air India.