chrislamb
Yep, all correct.
Also look at the motivation, as hinted
here. Reporter Samiran Saha alludes to former Aviation Minister Prafu Patel's "inexplicable" decisions to over-order aircraft and to give away Air India legacy, profitable routes.
Saha didn't actually state the blindingly obvious and well known (in country) allegations that Patel front-end loaded the contract price of ordered aircraft with the connivance of the manufacturers (the more aircraft ordered the more commission paid), to vastly enrich himself and to fund the political party he owes allegiance to, but also fortuitously, coincidentally and miraculously came into significant FOC equity stakes in the independent airlines that sprang up post relaxed regulation in 1995 (cost of operating/route licences).
To make the subsequent dynamic airline economic activity possible, more warm bodies were required to fly independent airline routes that he now had a conflict of interest stake in. How to do it? Use traditional methods and expedite the flow of "trained" fodder.
What's happened to Patel? What do you think? Promoted, of course. Does life ever change?