Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata on Monday said he did not enter the airline business as he was not comfortable with the idea of bribing a Minister with Rs. 15 crore, as had been suggested by an industrialist.

He regretted that despite being a pioneer in the airline industry, the group faced enormous problems in setting up a domestic airline in collaboration with the Singapore Airlines.

“We approached three Prime Ministers also. But an individual thwarted our efforts to form an airlines,” Mr. Tata said.

Amid the Tatas' efforts to set up a joint venture with the Singapore Airlines, a fellow industrialist, who remained unnamed, had said: “The Minister was asking for Rs. 15 crore. Why didn't you pay the money?”

Mr. Tata was delivering a lecture on ‘India in 21st Century: Opportunities and Challenges' here.