Singapore Airlines tumbles 2.1% after Air India plane crash
SIA holds a 25.1 per cent stake in the Indian flag carrier.
At around 9 am when the market opened, SIA shares hit a month-to-date low of S$6.88, down 2.1 per cent or S$0.15 from Thursday's closing price of S$7.03, with around 723,200 shares transacted.
By 9.17 am, the counter rose to S$6.92, still down 1.6 per cent or S$0.11, with 1.8 million shares changing hands.
On Thursday, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner headed for London's Gatwick airport crashed into a medical college hostel in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, killing more than 240 people.
SIA holds a 25.1 per cent stake in the Indian airline following a merger of its Indian full-service airline Vistara – joint venture with Mumbai-headquartered Tata Sons – into India's national carrier.
In SIA's annual report for FY2023 and FY2024, the group's chairman Peter Seah said that the merger of Air India and Vistara was underway, adding that SIA was working with Tata to secure necessary approvals.
India's national newspaper The Hindu reported that Air India shored up its revenue to a record level of 610 million rupees (S$9.1 million) in the fiscal year 2025 and clocked a profit excluding, exceptional items, in the second half.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Straits Times
Philippines' Marcos eyes India trade, defence in talks with Modi
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's trip to India is set to be from Aug 4 to Aug 8 upon Mr Modi's invitation. MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will discuss trade and defence relations with India when he meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a state visit to the South Asian nation next week. 'They are also expected to exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern,' Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Evangeline Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq said in a briefing on Aug 1. Mr Marcos' trip to India is set to be from Aug 4 to Aug 8 upon Mr Modi's invitation. 'We recognise the economic and strategic potentials of India, and we hope to open up possibilities for the future,' Ms Jimenez-Ducrocq said. Mr Marcos' efforts to expand economic cooperation with India, one of the world's largest and fastest-growing economies, come amid the implementation of US President Donald Trump's tariffs in August. The 19 per cent tariff imposed on Philippine goods is on a par with many other South-east Asian nations, removing a trade advantage that Manila touted when the US initially threatened a 17 per cent levy in April, which was among the lowest rates in the region that time. The US levy on India's goods is set at 25 per cent . Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Road will progressively open to motorists from Aug 2 noon World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore remains at 10% Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Singapore Thundery showers expected on most days in first half of August Singapore Synapxe chief executive, MND deputy secretary to become new perm secs from Sept 1 Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore Business Sumo Salad had valid insurance coverage for work injury claims: MOM Mr Marcos' visit to India also comes at a time when the two nations, which face a similar security concern, are improving defence ties. Manila has a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea, while New Delhi has a border row with China over the Himalayas. The Philippine and Indian navies are set to hold joint maritime exercises in waters facing the South China Sea from Aug 3, Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner Jr told reporters. Gen Brawner said Manila is looking at ordering more weapons systems and equipment from India. The Philippines previously procured a shore-based anti-ship missile system from India's BrahMos Aerospace, a contract worth US$324 million (S$421 million), as the nation boosts its coastal defence. 'We still have two sets of BrahMos systems that will arrive in the next few years,' Gen Brawner said, adding that other weapons systems of the Philippine Navy are also from India. 'We found out that what's made in India are of high quality but not too costly. So it's good if we partner with India,' he said. BLOOMBERG


CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
Why has India vowed to protect its farmers in the face of tariff threats?
MUMBAI: United States President Donald Trump on Thursday (Jul 31) slapped a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods after prolonged talks that got bogged down over access to India's labour-intensive agricultural sector, which New Delhi has pledged to protect. WHY IS INDIA OPPOSING THE PRODUCTS THE US IS LOBBYING FOR? The US is pressing India to open its markets to a wide range of American products, including dairy, poultry, corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, ethanol, fruits and nuts. While India is willing to provide greater access for US dry fruits and apples, it is holding back on corn, soybeans, wheat and dairy products. A key reason for this resistance is that most US corn and soybeans are genetically modified (GM), and India does not permit the import of GM food crops. GM crops are widely perceived in India as harmful to human health and the environment, and several groups affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are opposing their introduction. The commercial cultivation of a high-yielding GM mustard variety that India developed itself is currently not allowed due to an ongoing legal battle. Like GM crops, dairy is also a highly sensitive issue, as it provides a livelihood for millions of farmers, including many who are landless or smallholders. The dairy industry helps sustain farmers even during erratic monsoon seasons, which can cause significant fluctuations in crop production. In India, where a large proportion of the population is vegetarian, food choices are strongly influenced by cultural and dietary preferences. Indian consumers are particularly concerned that cattle in the US are often fed animal by-products - a practice that conflicts with Indian food habits. WHY ARE AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS POLITICALLY CHARGED? India is self-sufficient in most farm goods, with the exception of vegetable oils. After liberalising cooking oil imports over three decades ago, the country now has to import nearly two-thirds of its supply to meet demand. India does not want to repeat this mistake with other basic foods, which account for nearly half of its consumer price index. Though agriculture makes up just 16 per cent of India's nearly US$3.9 trillion economy, it is the lifeblood for nearly half the country's 1.4 billion people. Four years ago, this powerful voting bloc forced Modi's government into a rare retreat on a set of controversial farm laws. Some in power fear a flood of cheaper US imports would bring down local prices and hand opposition parties an opportunity to sharpen their attack on the government. New Delhi is also worried that a trade deal with the US could force it to open its agricultural sector to other countries. HOW DOES FARMING IN INDIA AND THE US DIFFER? The vast disparity in the scale of farming makes it difficult for Indian farmers to compete with their US counterparts. The average Indian farm is 1.08ha, compared to 187ha in the US. For dairy farmers, the difference is even more dramatic - a small herd of two or three animals versus hundreds or more in the US Many Indian farmers also rely on traditional, unmechanised techniques, while American agriculture has developed into a highly efficient, tech-driven industry. WHY IS INDIA HESITANT TO USE US ETHANOL IN ITS BIOFUEL PROGRAMME? One of India's key goals with its Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme is to reduce energy imports and support domestic farmers by using sugarcane and corn for biofuel production. Indian companies have invested heavily in new distilleries, and farmers have expanded corn cultivation to meet the rising demand. India recently achieved its ambitious target of a 20 per cent ethanol blend in petrol. With state assembly elections approaching in Bihar, a major corn-producing state in the east, allowing US ethanol imports would lower local corn prices. This would probably anger farmers and turn them against the BJP ahead of the election, and also undermine the growing distillery sector.

Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Straits Times
Why has India vowed to protect its farmers in the face of tariff threats?
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox MUMBAI - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday slapped a 25% tariff on Indian goods after prolonged talks that got bogged down over access to India's labour-intensive agricultural sector, which New Delhi has pledged to protect. WHY IS INDIA OPPOSING THE PRODUCTS THE U.S. IS LOBBYING FOR? The United States is pressing India to open its markets to a wide range of American products, including dairy, poultry, corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, ethanol, fruits and nuts. While India is willing to provide greater access for U.S. dry fruits and apples, it is holding back on corn, soybeans, wheat, and dairy products. A key reason for this resistance is that most U.S. corn and soybeans are genetically modified (GM), and India does not permit the import of GM food crops. GM crops are widely perceived in India as harmful to human health and the environment, and several groups affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are opposing their introduction. The commercial cultivation of a high-yielding GM mustard variety that India developed itself is currently not allowed due to an ongoing legal battle. Like GM crops, dairy is also a highly sensitive issue, as it provides a livelihood for millions of farmers, including many who are landless or smallholders. The dairy industry helps sustain farmers even during erratic monsoon seasons, which can cause significant fluctuations in crop production. In India, where a large proportion of the population is vegetarian, food choices are strongly influenced by cultural and dietary preferences. Indian consumers are particularly concerned that cattle in the U.S. are often fed animal by-products - a practice that conflicts with Indian food habits. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Road will progressively open to motorists from Aug 2 noon World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore remains at 10% Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore Business Sumo Salad had valid insurance coverage for work injury claims: MOM Asia Australia to force Google to conduct age checks in world-first rules for search engines Singapore PM Wong to deliver National Day message on Aug 8 WHY ARE AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS POLITICALLY CHARGED? India is self-sufficient in most farm goods, with the exception of vegetable oils. After liberalising cooking oil imports over three decades ago, the country now has to import nearly two-thirds of its supply to meet demand. India does not want to repeat this mistake with other basic foods, which account for nearly half of its consumer price index. Though agriculture makes up just 16% of India's nearly $3.9 trillion economy, it is the lifeblood for nearly half the country's 1.4 billion people. Four years ago, this powerful voting bloc forced Modi's government into a rare retreat on a set of controversial farm laws. Some in power fear a flood of cheaper U.S. imports would bring down local prices and hand opposition parties an opportunity to sharpen its attack on the government. New Delhi is also worried that a trade deal with the U.S. could also force it to open its agricultural sector to other countries. HOW DOES FARMING IN INDIA AND THE U.S. DIFFER? The vast disparity in the scale of farming makes it difficult for Indian farmers to compete with their U.S. counterparts. The average Indian farm is a 1.08 hectares (2.67 acres), compared to 187 hectares in the U.S. For dairy farmers, the difference is even more dramatic - a small herd of two or three animals versus hundreds or more in the U.S. Many Indian farmers also rely on traditional, unmechanised techniques, while American agriculture has developed into a highly efficient, tech-driven industry. WHY IS INDIA HESITANT TO USE U.S. ETHANOL IN ITS BIOFUEL PROGRAMME? One of India's key goals with its Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme is to reduce energy imports and support domestic farmers by using sugarcane and corn for biofuel production. Indian companies have invested heavily in new distilleries, and farmers have expanded corn cultivation to meet the rising demand. India recently achieved its ambitious target of a 20% ethanol blend in petrol. With state assembly elections approaching in Bihar - a major corn-producing state in the east - allowing U.S. ethanol imports would lower local corn prices. This would probably anger farmers and turn them against the BJP ahead of the election and also undermine the growing distillery sector. REUTERS