Is safety in India’s aviation sector hanging by a thread? The findings of a recent report raise serious concerns—almost suggesting that air passengers land safely only if they are fortunate. The primary reason for this concern is that nearly 50% of aircraft in the country have technical faults, as revealed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation. The details in the report are alarming and likely to worry passengers. The panel has urged immediate attention to aviation safety in India. Emphasizing the need for reforms in the aviation sector, the committee stated that systemic flaws must be addressed, and strong corrective measures, better monitoring systems, and improved institutional capacity must be established to ensure passenger safety.
It is well known that major players in India’s domestic aviation sector include IndiGo and Air India. According to audit findings conducted over a year, IndiGo flights recorded the highest number of technical issues, followed by Air India. Between January 2025 and February 2026, audits were conducted on 754 aircraft, out of which 377 were found to have defects. IndiGo topped the list both in terms of the number of aircraft audited and the number of faults identified. Out of 405 IndiGo aircraft inspected, 148 had defects, with some issues recurring repeatedly. Similarly, audits were conducted on 166 Air India aircraft and 101 Air India Express aircraft, where faults were also identified. Overall, defects were found in nearly half of the aircraft audited, raising serious concerns for the committee. It noted that such issues could impact both passenger safety and airline credibility.
Another key concern highlighted in the report is the 48.3% vacancy rate in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the body responsible for regulating the aviation sector. Questions are being raised about how the DGCA can effectively monitor a rapidly growing aviation industry with such a severe staff shortage. On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu have been highlighting the expansion of airports and infrastructure under their leadership. However, after this report, critics argue that it exposes the underlying weaknesses in the aviation sector.
In 2025 alone, the DGCA issued 19 notices to various airlines over safety violations. The report also mentions that after a major Air India Ahmedabad crash, the DGCA carried out large-scale inspections of Air India aircraft, identifying around 100 defects, including seven classified as high-risk issues. The report further points out concerns such as inadequate pilot training and shortage of sufficient cabin crew. It remains to be seen whether the Civil Aviation Ministry will take corrective action following this report or continue to overlook these issues as in the past.