Pilots' body urges PM for autonomous aviation authority, cites funding, safety gaps
Amid unprecedented growth in India’s aviation sector, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish an autonomous, statutory Civil
Amid unprecedented growth in India’s aviation sector, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish an autonomous, statutory Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), arguing that the country’s regulatory framework needs structural reform to keep pace with the expansion of the industry. In a detailed proposal dated August 6, FIP President Capt CS Randhawa said India, now the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, remains an outlier among major regional economies because it continues to rely on the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Read Full Story The proposal seeks to replace the DGCA with a modern, autonomous statutory regulator with greater financial, administrative and technical independence. The FIP said the aviation sector has become one of the fastest-growing contributors to economic development, trade, tourism and national connectivity. With air traffic continuing to expand and aviation technology becoming increasingly complex, it argued that India needs a modern, independent and professionally managed regulatory framework to maintain high standards of safety, security, efficiency and consumer protection. India’s civil aviation sector has witnessed significant growth over the past two decades, with increases in passenger traffic, aircraft fleets, airports, air navigation services and aviation training organisations. The sector now has a commercial fleet of more than 850 aircraft, while passenger numbers have crossed 239 million. Emerging areas such as drones and advanced air mobility have also added to the complexity of aviation regulation. The FIP said the DGCA has played a pivotal role in regulating the sector but its status as an attached office of the Civil Aviation Ministry has created limitations in administrative autonomy, financial flexibility, recruitment of technical specialists and timely regulatory decision-making.
LISTS SHORTCOMINGS IN EXISTING DGCA STRUCTURE The proposal identifies several reasons for establishing a separate Civil Aviation Authority. The FIP said the DGCA has limited administrative autonomy because major regulatory decisions require approval from the Ministry. Its financial powers remain constrained by government procedures, while recruitment and procurement follow lengthy government rules. The federation argued that these limitations have become more significant as India’s aviation sector has expanded. The proposal also highlights difficulties in recruiting and retaining specialised aviation professionals. Civil aviation regulation requires expertise from airline captains, flight operations inspectors, airworthiness engineers, air traffic management experts, human factors specialists and fatigue risk management experts. According to the FIP, government pay scales can make it difficult to attract and retain professionals from the aviation industry, particularly those with extensive airline experience. The federation also pointed to the rapid growth of Indian aviation between 2003 and 2013. During that period, passenger traffic more than doubled, private airlines became dominant operators, aircraft fleets increased significantly, flying training organisations and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities expanded, and new airports were commissioned. It said these developments exposed the limitations of regulating a modern aviation industry through a conventional government department. CITES AUDITS AND PARLIAMENTARY RECOMMENDATIONS The proposal also refers to audits conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP). The FIP said these audits highlighted areas in which India needed to strengthen its safety oversight, inspector staffing, technical expertise, regulatory independence and surveillance capability. It noted that ICAO encourages states to ensure that aviation regulators have sufficient independence, resources and qualified personnel. The federation also cited recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee that examined the Civil Aviation Authority Bill.
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