India’s Aviation Sector and the Safety Imperative

This editorial is based on “Indian aviation safety, its dangerous credibility deficit” which was published in The Hindu on 06/01/2026. The article highlights how India’s rapid aviation growth is being undermined by safety lapses, regulatory weaknesses, and a credibility deficit in accident investigation. It brings renewed focus on the urgent need for transparent oversight and institutional reform to restore public and global trust.

For Prelims:UDAN,DGCA,Airports Authority of India (AAI),Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Act,Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill 2024,International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 

For Mains:Growth in India’s civil aviation sector, key issues and policy measures

India’s civil aviation sector is among the world’s fastest growing, driven by expanding connectivity and rising demand. However, recent air accidents (eg, Air India Flight 171 Ahmedabad Crash) and regulatory lapses have exposed serious gaps in aviation safety, transparency, and institutional credibility. As a signatory to International Civil Aviation Organization norms, India is expected to ensure independent and timely safety oversight. Persistent delays and opacity in investigations have weakened public trust and global confidence. Restoring safety-first governance is now essential to sustain growth and protect lives. 

What is the Current Status of the Aviation Sector in India ? 

• Expansion of Airports and Infrastructure: India’s airport infrastructure has grown rapidly over the past decade. The number of operational airports has more than doubled from 74 in 2014 to around 163 by 2025, reflecting aggressive infrastructure development and policy focus on connectivity.  
  • The government has set an ambitious long-term vision to expand this network further to 350–400 airports by 2047, anticipating exponential growth in demand and deeper regional penetration.  
  • New greenfield projects such as the Navi Mumbai International Airport — which has started handling thousands of passengers shortly after its inauguration are key to enhancing capacity and reducing congestion at existing hubs.  
• Passenger Traffic and Market Size: India has cemented its position as the third-largest domestic civil aviation market globally. 
  • Passenger numbers continue to climb. For instance, Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi has been ranked 9th among the world's busiest airports in 2024, handling 77.8 million passengers.  
  • Domestic traffic has consistently stayed robust, with airports like Visakhapatnam and Bhopal recording notable increases in passenger footfall and regional connectivity 
    • Airline capacity also reflects this growth, with both domestic and international seat deployments rising steadily. 
• Regional Connectivity: The UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) initiative has been transformational in boosting regional air connectivity.  
  • Under this scheme, which primarily uses viability gap funding to make routes commercially viable, over 625 regional routes have been operationalised, linking more than 90 airports and aerodromes including water aerodromes and heliports. 
  • It has carried more than 1.56 crore passengers so far, dramatically improving access to air travel from smaller towns and Tier-II/III cities. 
    • Extensions like UDAN 2.0 plan to connect 120 more destinations further entrenching connectivity deep into hinterlands.  
• Capacity, Fleet Growth and Economic Contribution: To cater to rising demand, Indian carriers are aggressively expanding their fleets.  
  • Industry estimates suggest Indian airlines may induct about 100 aircraft annually over the next 15 years, underpinning long-term capacity growth. 
  • The sector’s economic footprint is significant; it supports over 7.7 million jobs indirectly, including 369,000 jobs directly,  and acts as a catalyst for tourism, trade, logistics and manufacturing ecosystems.  
    • Furthermore, projections estimate the aviation market size at nearly $15 billion in 2025, with expectations of crossing over $26 billion by 2030. 

What are the Regulatory Frameworks Governing the Aviation Sector? 

• Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)-Policy and Strategic Control:  
  • The aviation sector is anchored institutionally under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which provides overall policy direction, legislative oversight, and strategic vision.  
  • MoCA formulates national aviation policies such as the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), oversees bilateral air service agreements (ASAs), and steers flagship initiatives like UDAN and airport privatisation.  
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)- Safety and Operational Regulator 
  • The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is India’s primary technical regulator, responsible for air safety, licensing, certification, and operational oversight. 
    • It frames Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) governing aircraft operations, pilot duty-time limitations, maintenance standards, and airline compliance. 
    • DGCA also issues Air Operator Certificates (AOCs), approves aircraft induction, and conducts safety audits. 
• Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau(AAIB)-Accident Investigation Authority 
  • The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is mandated to investigate aircraft accidents and serious incidents in line with ICAO Annex 13.  
  • Its role is purely technical, aimed at identifying causes and issuing safety recommendations. 
• Airports Authority of India (AAI)- Infrastructure and Air Navigation Services 
  • The Airports Authority of India is a statutory body responsible for airport infrastructure development and air navigation services (ANS) across most of India’s airports.  
  • AAI manages runways, terminal facilities, air traffic control, and communication-navigation-surveillance (CNS) systems.  
    • It plays a central role in regional connectivity by upgrading smaller airports under UDAN.  
• Bureau of Civil Aviation Security(BCAS)- Aviation Security Regulator 
  • The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security is responsible for aviation security oversight, including passenger screening, access control, cargo security, and compliance with international anti-terrorism norms. 
  • BCAS issues security directives to airlines, airports, and ground handlers, and coordinates closely with intelligence and law-enforcement agencies. 
• Legislative Provisions:  
  • Bhartiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024: The Act replaces the Aircraft Act, 1934 to modernise India’s civil aviation framework by streamlining regulation under DGCA, strengthening safety oversight, and updating penalties. 
    • It aligns India’s aviation laws with ICAO standards to support safe, efficient, and globally credible aviation growth. 
  • Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Act, 2025: Strengthens India’s aviation regulatory framework by plugging enforcement gaps in the Cape Town Convention, providing legal certainty to aircraft leasing and financing.  
    • It enhances creditor rights, repossession, and deregistration mechanisms, reducing legal risk and improving compliance scores. 
• International Framework-ICAO and Global Obligations 
  • India is a contracting state to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and is bound by its Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).  
    • These cover aircraft certification, airworthiness, safety management systems, accident investigation, and environmental norms.  
      • India’s aviation laws, CARs, and investigative procedures are expected to align with ICAO Annexes, especially Annex 13 on accident investigation.  
    • Compliance with the Chicago Convention directly affects India’s global aviation standing, insurance premiums, aircraft leasing costs, and the level of trust and cooperation extended by other countries in international air operations.. 

What are the Key Issues Associated with India’s Aviation Sector ? 

• Aviation Safety Deficit and Credibility Concerns: Despite being a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organization, India has struggled with timely, transparent, and technically robust investigations, eroding domestic and global confidence.  
  • Delays in final reports and ambiguous preliminary findings fuel speculation and misinformation, while ICAO’s USOAP audits have flagged gaps in surveillance and enforcement.  
  • The June 2025 Ahmedabad crash, where the AAIB’s preliminary report was delayed and final disclosures remain slow, has further raised concerns among industry and pilot bodies about the credibility of India’s safety oversight. 
• Infrastructure Capacity and Operational Stress: Although India has expanded its airport network significantly, capacity constraints persist at major hubs like Delhi and Mumbai.  
  • Congested airspace, limited runway availability, and stretched air traffic control systems increase operational risks and delays. 
    • For example, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has had to limit runway movements at Mumbai Airport because its single runway is operating at or beyond scheduled capacity, causing aircraft to circle in congested airspace and increasing fuel burn and delays. 
  • Many regional airports under UDAN face issues such as low passenger demand, inadequate firefighting services, and weather-related operational challenges, raising questions about long-term viability.  
• Financial Stress and Airline Sustainability Issue: Indian airlines operate in a high-cost, low-margin environment, burdened by high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) taxes, airport charges, and leasing costs.  
  • For example, ATF accounts for around 40–45 % of an airline’s operating expenses in India and is taxed by states at rates up to 30%, magnifying cost burdens compared with global peers. 
  • The insolvency of Go First in 2023 and the grounding of its entire fleet exposed how financial stress can quickly translate into operational disruption, affecting employees, lessors, and consumer confidence. 
• Environmental Sustainability and Climate Pressure: Aviation is a growing contributor to carbon emissions and noise pollution. India has committed to global climate goals, yet adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), carbon offset mechanisms, and green airport design remains limited.  
  • For instance, India has set formal targets to blend Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)- 1 % by 2027, 2 % by 2028, and 5 % by 2030 for international flights as part of its efforts to align with global climate goals under ICAO’s emissions frameworks such as CORSIA.  
    • However, actual SAF deployment remains very limited, with production infrastructure still scaling up and costs significantly higher than conventional jet fuel, highlighting the gap between commitments and on-ground implementation. 
• Weak Enforcement of Passenger Rights and Erosion of Consumer Trust:: While the DGCA Passenger Charter mandates compensation, meals, accommodation, refunds, and alternate travel arrangements for delays and cancellations, many passengers remain unaware of their rights, and uneven enforcement means airline compliance and consumer satisfaction often fall short of regulatory intent 
  • For instance, recent large-scale flight cancellations by IndiGo in 2025, which stranded thousands of passengers across major airports due to crew and operational constraints, highlighted persistent gaps in contingency planning and passenger care.  
• Fragmented Governance and Poor Coordination: India’s aviation ecosystem involves several bodies such as  the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), DGCA, AAI, BCAS, and AAIB , each with distinct mandates, but coordination gaps have been repeatedly highlighted by Parliamentary reviews as undermining effective oversight and response. 
  • Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee’s 380th Report on civil aviation safety explicitly flagged deficiencies in regulatory oversight and enforcement linked to institutional fragmentation and lack of clarity in responsibilities across these agencies. 
  • DGCA faces limited autonomy, acute manpower shortages, and excessive executive control, weakening its effectiveness.  
    • As of August 2025, a 50% manpower deficit has severely constrained inspections, audits, and enforcement. 
• Hangar & MRO Deficit: India faces a severe shortage of hangars and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, particularly for wide-body aircraft. As a result, airlines are compelled to undertake heavy maintenance overseas due to limited domestic capacity.  
  • This dependence significantly increases operational costs and turnaround time for carriers.  
  • It also leads to an annual foreign exchange outflow of nearly $1.5 billion, undermining the goal of aviation self-reliance.  

What Measures are Needed to Strengthen India’s Aviation Sector? 

• Establish an Independent and Empowered Aviation Safety Regulator: India must move towards a functionally autonomous aviation safety regulator, insulated from political and commercial pressures.  
  • Parliamentary Standing Committees have repeatedly recommended separating policy-making from safety oversight.  
    • This will improve enforcement credibility, reduce regulatory capture, and ensure that safety norms are applied uniformly rather than selectively. 
• Reform Accident Investigation for Transparency and Trust: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau must be strengthened in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13.  
  • Measures include fixed timelines for preliminary and final reports, modern forensic labs, protected tenure for investigators, and mandatory public briefings.  
  • Transparent investigations restore public trust, counter misinformation, and improve global credibility, which directly affects leasing costs and international cooperation. 
• Upgrade Airport Infrastructure with Safety-First Planning: Airport expansion should prioritise operational readiness over numerical growth. This includes ensuring adequate runway safety areas, round-the-clock rescue and firefighting services, modern navigation aids, and weather resilience.  
  • Regional airports under UDAN require realistic traffic assessments, better last-mile connectivity, and phased operations.  
  • CAG reports have stressed that infrastructure must be aligned with actual operational demand. 
• Strengthen Human Capital and Safety Culture: India needs massive investment in training pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers, and safety inspectors.  
  • Duty-time regulations must strictly account for fatigue, circadian rhythm disruption, and mental health, as highlighted by ICAO and DGCA studies.  
  • Encouraging a non-punitive safety reporting culture, where crew can report errors without fear, is essential. Human factors, not technology alone, remain the weakest link in aviation safety worldwide. 
• Ensure Financial Sustainability of Airline: Rationalising ATF taxation under GST, promoting domestic aircraft leasing hubs (like GIFT City), and encouraging Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) ecosystems can reduce costs.  
  • Financially stable airlines are more likely to invest in training, maintenance, and safety rather than short-term cost-cutting. 
• Improve Airspace Management and ATC Capacity: Congested airspace around major hubs increases delays and operational risk. India must modernise air traffic management through satellite-based navigation, flexible airspace use, and civil–military coordination.  
  • Increasing ATC staffing and upgrading communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems are critical as flight movements continue to rise sharply. 
• Integrate Environmental Sustainability into Growth: India’s aviation growth must align with climate commitments. Promoting Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), energy-efficient airport design, and ICAO’s CORSIA framework can reduce emissions.  
  • Incentives for green airports and carbon reporting mechanisms will ensure that growth does not come at the cost of long-term environmental damage. 
• Strengthen Passenger Rights and Service Quality: Robust enforcement of passenger charters, transparent fare rules, and effective grievance redressal mechanisms are essential to sustain public confidence.  
  • Digital platforms for real-time complaint tracking and penalties for repeated violations can bridge the gap between regulation and passenger experience. 
  • A mature aviation market must protect consumers alongside promoting growth. 
• Improve Institutional Coordination and Crisis Management: Clear protocols for coordination among MoCA, DGCA, AAI, AAIB, and state agencies are essential, especially during accidents or major disruptions. 
  • Regular mock drills, crisis communication frameworks, and defined command chains can prevent chaos and loss of evidence.  
• Adopt a Long-Term Aviation Vision: India needs a long-term aviation roadmap aligned with Vision 2047 that integrates infrastructure, safety, sustainability, human resources, and global competitiveness.  
  • Growth targets must be matched with regulatory capacity and institutional readiness to avoid systemic stress.

Conclusion:  

India’s aviation sector stands at a critical crossroads where rapid expansion must be matched by equally strong governance and institutional capacity. Sustainable growth will depend on independent regulation, transparent safety oversight, and investment in human and technological capabilities. Aligning infrastructure development with environmental responsibility and passenger welfare is essential for long-term resilience. A safety-first, credibility-driven aviation ecosystem is vital to secure public trust and India’s global standing.

Drishti Mains Question

Rapid growth in India’s civil aviation sector has outpaced regulatory and institutional capacity. Examine the key challenges this poses for aviation safety, governance, and sustainability, and suggest suitable reforms.

FAQs 

1.Why is aviation safety a concern in India? 
Because rapid growth has outpaced regulatory capacity, leading to investigation delays and weak enforcement. 

2. How does global compliance affect India’s aviation sector? 
It influences international trust, insurance premiums, aircraft leasing costs, and cooperation. 

3. How does the Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Act, 2025 help airlines? 
It lowers leasing risk and costs by strengthening creditor and repossession rights. 

4. Why is regional connectivity under stress despite UDAN? 
Low demand, operational challenges, and weak airport readiness affect route sustainability. 

5. What is the key reform needed for India’s aviation sector? 
Independent regulation with strong safety, transparency, and institutional capacity. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) 

Mains

Q. Examine the development of Airports in India through joint ventures under Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model. What are the challenges faced by the authorities in this regard? (2017)