London: Ruling out privatisation of Air India, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today (July 23, 2004) said there would be a 100 per cent capacity increase in the national carrier in the next one to two years.

"We don't intend to privatise Air India. We feel Air India should grow much faster and there will be a 100 per cent capacity increase in the national carrier in the next 1 to 2 years," Patel told newspersons in London.

The Civil Aviation Minister, who is in London on a two-day visit, said the strengthening of Air India would be done with the combination of "leasing and acquisition" of aircraft. "You will see a vibrant Air India within a year, ready to take on the rest of the leading airlines in the world," he asserted.

Describing his talks with his British counterpart Alistair Darling in London yesterday as "meaningful", Patel said both Governments have agreed in principle to enhance the number of flights and increase the frequencies between the two countries.

"We agree that there is vast scope for enlarging bilateral ties in view of the fact that traffic potential and passenger demand for international air services is increasing."

He said the next round of UK-India bilateral talks covering a whole gamut of issues connected with civil aviation would be held here in August or September.