India’s civil aviation sector faces critical safety challenges in 2025. A Parliamentary panel has issued a stark warning about systemic lapses risking catastrophic failures. Rapid growth in passenger traffic and fleet size has stretched regulatory and operational capacities thin. The report calls for urgent reforms to prevent future disasters and restore public confidence.
Regulatory Oversight and DGCA Challenges
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the main regulator but is severely understaffed. Only half of the sanctioned posts are filled. Nearly half the technical staff are on temporary deputation, causing high attrition and loss of institutional knowledge. India’s safety oversight ranks below global averages in the latest ICAO audit. Without reforms, the country risks international restrictions on air operations. The committee urges granting DGCA full administrative and financial autonomy and decoupling recruitment from UPSC to attract skilled experts.
Air Traffic Control Fatigue and Staffing Crisis
Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) at major airports face extreme workloads and fatigue. Many work prolonged shifts and merged control sectors at night due to staff shortages. This institutionalised overwork threatens airspace safety. The panel demands ending duty-time exemptions and implementing a Fatigue Risk Management System. It also calls for a comprehensive staffing audit and expanding training capacity, currently limited to 210 officers at a time, causing deployment delays.
Safety Deficiencies and Enforcement Gaps
Thousands of safety deficiencies remain unresolved, including critical ones posing immediate risks. DGCA’s enforcement is described as mere procedural formality lacking deterrence. The committee recommends strict time-bound closure of safety issues, escalating penalties for non-compliance, and independent audits of enforcement processes. Without these, safety findings lose effectiveness.
Helicopter Operations and Regulatory Confusion
Helicopter services, especially in pilgrimage zones, suffer from fragmented oversight. State agencies operate many high-risk flights with limited DGCA supervision. This fractured system endangers passengers. The panel calls for a uniform national regulatory framework, terrain-specific pilot training, and a dedicated DGCA cell to monitor high-altitude helicopter operations.
Operational Risks – Runway Incursions and Near Misses
Runway incursions increased sharply in 2024, exceeding safety targets. Loss of situational awareness and near mid-air collisions remain frequent despite investigations. The committee demands mandatory root-cause analyses for all incursions and focused safety programmes at high-risk airports. Faster installation of fog navigation and Instrument Landing Systems is urged.
Whistleblower Protection and Just Culture
A punitive regulatory environment discourages safety reporting. Heavy fines on ATCOs undermine trust and transparency. The report promotes just culture principles that differentiate honest errors from negligence. It recommends legally backed whistleblower protection to ensure anonymity and prevent victimisation, encouraging open communication.
Dependence on Foreign MRO Facilities
India relies on overseas Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) for 85% of its needs, spending ₹15,000 crore annually abroad. This creates strategic vulnerabilities amid geopolitical risks. The panel suggests rationalising taxes on spare parts, incentivising domestic MRO hubs, and launching a national aviation skill mission to build local expertise.
Governance Issues in Airports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) board lacks a dedicated Member for Air Traffic Control, a long-pending recommendation since 2006. This governance gap excludes vital operational expertise from strategic decisions, risking systemic safety planning.
Questions for UPSC:
- Point out the challenges faced by regulatory bodies in maintaining aviation safety in rapidly growing economies with examples from India.
- Underline the role of fatigue management in critical safety sectors like air traffic control and analyse its impact on operational efficiency.
- Critically analyse the strategic vulnerabilities posed by dependence on foreign Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities in the aviation sector and suggest measures to mitigate these risks.
- Estimate the importance of a ‘just culture’ and whistleblower protection in improving safety standards across public service sectors with suitable examples.
