The government on Tuesday said Air India will join Star Alliance within this year and the due contractual process is on.

"Air India will definitely join Star Alliance and it is just a matter of time before it happens. The AGM of Star Alliance is expected to happen in China in December and the deal should formulate then," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told media persons in New Delhi.

By joining Star Alliance, Air India will gain access to member airlines' common facilities at airports across the world, as well as code sharing and joint marketing opportunities.

Major carriers that are members of Star Alliance include Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada and Air New Zealand. Only one carrier from a country is typically admitted as a member, with exceptions made for the US and China.

Established in 1997, Star Alliance is world's largest alliance and has 17 members with total annual revenue exceeding $114 billion. Together, they serve 855 airports in 155 countries with 16,500 daily services.