The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is reported to be ready to offer a foreign global operator a 51% stake in a new joint venture company to bid for new airport contracts in India.

ITDC is said to have already invited approaches from international operators and hopes to formalise an arrangement by the end of the year.
The new move comes as more Indian airports seek the input of international duty free operators and standards are improving fast at airports where foreign operators already work. Two companies that have set much higher retail standards in India include Alpha Retail and Flemingo International.
ITDC will also doubtless be concerned that the terms and conditions it currently trades on at India's two major international airports, Mumbai and Delhi, are much more favourable than those which are likely to be imposed by the new consortiums that are currently developing both airports.
Any duty free tenders at either airport are highly likely to reflect competitive international trading terms with higher guarantees than ITDC currently pays on its month-to-month rolling contracts at both airports.