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Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Aviation Minister Naidu announces new directorate for helicopters under DGCA
Union minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday announced the establishment of a dedicated helicopter directorate under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to provide a single-window regulatory oversight , address chopper-specific safety and certification issues. The Minister for Civil Aviation was addressing a keynote speech at the 7th Helicopter & Small Aircraft Summit in Pune, organised by his ministry in collaboration with the Maharashtra government, Pawan Hans and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). "Robust regional connectivity and logistics has laid the foundation for a high growth and a high opportunity. We are building a strong framework of regional connectivity through initiatives such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, National Logistics Policy, National Civil Aviation Policy and PM Gatishakti Master Plan and ' Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik ' (UDAAN) schemes for multimodal connectivity," he said. "And I would say that these efforts are not only enhancing connectivity but also reshaping our economic destiny," he said. Naidu added that for the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, viksit aviation is going to play a key and pivotal role. Live Events "For that, we all have to strategically build a future aviation system for the country which promotes helicopters and small aircrafts and makes it a very critical component in our vision," he added. Announcing the establishment of a dedicated helicopter directorate under the DGCA, the minister said, "The directorate will serve as a single-window platform for providing oversight in regulatory and addressing helicopter specific safety and certification issues and assisting operators with procedural requirements." "And I am so assured that this is going to be a significant step in the administrative bottlenecks that many of you used to face before," he said. He also emphasized building a robust safety culture. "Safety of the pilgrims must remain our top priority. There can be no shortcuts, no room for communication errors and no margin for poor decision-making. We must build a culture of trust, dialogue and discipline which I feel is a shared responsibility between the Centre, the states and the operators," he said. Talking about Kedarnath , Chardham, he said the safety of pilgrims and operations can be challenging. "While reviewing some of the incidents, you can see that it is quite challenging in the mountainous terrain," he said. Naidu added that operational difficulties should never be the excuse for anyone. "So, that is something where we have to step up the game, create a much better safety system around the operations that we have today," he added. Naidu shared his vision to promote helicopters and small aircraft as essential components of a futuristic aviation ecosystem . "I believe the next decade of aviation will be defined not just by large aircraft and mega airports but by modern and inclusive air solutions. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, helicopters and small aircraft are at the heart of our mission to democratise flying," he added.
The Hindu
15-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
India needs a sincere aircraft accident investigation
In a country where every life lost in an aircraft accident should result in justice, transparency, and reform, we find ourselves, instead, battling a system that is seemingly designed to obscure the truth. On paper, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is a statutory and autonomous investigative body. In reality, it is anything but independent. It functions as an office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the very same authority that oversees airlines, regulates aviation through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and, crucially, appoints the leadership of the AAIB and the DGCA. This structure presents an apparent conflict of interest. In railway accidents, investigations are typically carried out by the Commissioner of Railway Safety or, occasionally, a judicial authority, and not by the Ministry of Railways. Although, technically, under the MoCA, the Commissioner is functionally independent of railway operators, this ensures that those running trains are not the ones investigating the derailments. But in aviation, the MoCA controls airline operations and accident investigations. Stop the firefighting The accident on June 12, 2025, at Ahmedabad was not just an operational occurrence. It was a full-fledged aircraft accident that should serve as a wake-up call. Is India's aviation safety framework keeping pace with its exponential growth? There have been a number of helicopter crashes, accidents involving flying schools, there was a weather-related incident in May 2025 that affected a Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight, and, in addition, troubling ground handling lapses, that include the cancellation of ground handler Çelebi Aviation's permit over security concerns. These are not isolated incidents but point to something more profound. Are we identifying and fixing risks before they become headlines? Or are we merely reacting? We cannot keep firefighting. We need a system that prevents failures, and not just manages the damage. The high-level committee appointed to investigate the Air India AI171 crash must go beyond reviewing a single event. It must recognise that India's aviation ecosystem has outgrown the current National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP). In a complete revamp of the NCAP, 'safety' should be deeply woven into every regulation, operation and decision. That is how we prepare for the responsibilities that come with being one of the largest aviation markets in the world. A report that told inconvenient truths The Air Marshal J.K. Seth Committee Report in 1997 was India's most honest and far-reaching review of aviation safety. But it was quietly buried because it told the truth. It highlighted key systemic flaws: fragmented oversight; lack of independence; inadequate training and resources, and regulatory capture. These issues remain largely unresolved. Any new committee must reckon with these truths and not repeat the pattern of superficial reviews and buried reports. Too many accident reports have internal contradictions. In an accident in 2001, that claimed the life of a former Union Minister, 'entry into the cloud' was cited as the cause, while the meteorology section confirmed that there were no clouds around. Was it a mistake or does it point to something else? Overloading was evident in the Indian Airlines crash (IC491) in Aurangabad in 1993. Yet, the final report did not spell it out so clearly. This writer has pursued data for years in another case of suspected overloading on an Air India Express flight (IX611), in October 2018, from Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu to Dubai, only to be denied access. What is being protected? The Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017 make one point clear — that the purpose of an investigation is to prevent future accidents, and not to assign blame. Yet, law enforcement and courts routinely misuse the AAIB's findings. The police, lacking the expertise and jurisdiction in aviation matters, rely almost entirely on the AAIB's reports, treating them as conclusive. The AAIB's findings are meant for safety learning, and not legal prosecution. When these reports are interpreted outside their technical scope, truth becomes a casualty. Investigating officers unfamiliar with aviation treat the AAIB's 'probable cause' as a legal verdict. The judiciary focuses on what is immediately visible, while the AAIB is meant to dig deeper. But both often end up blaming the pilot, the case is closed and the truth is left behind. Why is pilot error so often the conclusion? Because it is convenient. Legally, it simplifies matters. From an insurance standpoint, a conclusion of pilot error helps expedite payouts. It closes the loop quickly, shielding other accountable entities — airlines, maintenance providers, and air traffic control, from scrutiny. The pilot becomes the system's scapegoat, even in death. A front to protect people Too often, accident investigations in India are reshaped to protect institutions, and not the people they serve. The MoCA holds all the levers, policy, regulation, appointments and investigations. With that much control, real accountability becomes a myth. Each time a family receives a hollow, contradictory report instead of honest answers, the system not only fails but also breaks faith. At times, the structure is so well-insulated from responsibility that it has perfected the art of getting away with murder — through delay, dilution and the quiet deletion of truth. The International Civil Aviation Organization's State Safety Briefing (2022) says that India has had zero fatal accidents recently. But 21 lives were lost in the Kozhikode air crash in August 2020. The recommendations in the investigation and those of the committee to review the accident report have not been implemented duly. There is no accountability. No systemic change. Just silence. India cannot claim global leadership in aviation while hiding behind data. Absolute safety comes from integrity. These are the steps needed. First, move the AAIB and DGCA to an independent statutory body that reports to Parliament. Second, stop having parallel committees that bypass or undermine established investigative bodies. Third, take legal steps to prevent the AAIB's findings from being used in criminal trials unless independently validated. Fourth, amend Rule 19(3) of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, which holds the powers to penalise a pilot for any mistake. There is a need to protect a pilot with a genuine no-blame culture, unless gross negligence is proven. Fifth, appoint an independent ombudsman to review how accident reports have been handled and mishandled. It is not that India lacks the talent or the tools to investigate accidents. What it lacks is the institutional courage to tell the truth. Therefore, this writer's plea. Have an honest, sincere aircraft accident investigation; one that shows that India values truth and precious lives over image. Let that be India's legacy for those lives lost, not only in the skies but also in the silence. Captain Amit Singh is an aviation safety expert, author, and Royal Aeronautical Society Fellow, pioneering human factors and cultural integration in aviation
Economic Times
15-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Air India plane crash: Air safety panel set up to advise on policy revamp
Following the devastating Air India Boeing 787-8 crash, the Indian government has formed a committee, led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan, to revamp aviation safety policies. Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced the panel, tasking it with reviewing standard operating procedures and recommending improvements to prevent future incidents. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads ( Originally published on Jun 14, 2025 ) A committee led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan will suggest steps to overhaul India's aviation safety policy as the government is looking to prevent a recurrence of incidents such as Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane crash that killed more than 270 formation of the panel two days after the country's worst air crash, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said it will examine the existing standard operating procedures and make recommendations on how to prevent and handle such is besides the investigation that statutory body Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct. 'We have put a time limit of three months for them to sit down, talk to various stakeholders, involve and discuss with any other important expert that is necessary,' Naidu said at his first media briefing after Thursday's committee will include the heads of civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and security regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, as well as joint secretary-level officers from the state and central governments. It will also consult experts in aviation safety, accident investigators and under the civil aviation ministry, is investigating the crash, while the US National Transportation Safety Board will also be involved in the detailed probe, given that the aircraft was manufactured by an American company, Boeing, and was made in the US.A UK AAIB team will also assist in the investigation, as will Boeing and other major component manufacturers like GE, which supplied engines for the committee will hold its first meeting next week, according to a senior government official. It will study steps taken by other countries following such accidents and its suggestions will be incorporated in the National Civil Aviation Policy, which was launched in have been three fatal crashes in the US this year, which sparked calls for overhauling of the Federal Aviation Authority.'This accident is a jolt for all of us. But it is also a wake-up call and the committee will suggest measures to make it safer, looking at the scenario where aviation is no more a luxury but an essential mode of transport and transforming India into an aviation hub,' said the official cited.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Aviation Safety Policy: India Forms High-Level Panel to Enhance Aviation Safety Post-Tragedy, ET Infra
Advt By , ET Bureau A committee led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan will suggest steps to overhaul India's aviation safety policy as the government is looking to prevent a recurrence of incidents such as Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane crash that killed more than 270 formation of the panel two days after the country's worst air crash, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said it will examine the existing standard operating procedures and make recommendations on how to prevent and handle such is besides the investigation that statutory body Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct."We have put a time limit of three months for them to sit down, talk to various stakeholders, involve and discuss with any other important expert that is necessary," Naidu said at his first media briefing after Thursday's committee will include the heads of civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and security regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, as well as joint secretary-level officers from the state and central governments. It will also consult experts in aviation safety, accident investigators and under the civil aviation ministry, is investigating the crash, while the US National Transportation Safety Board will also be involved in the detailed probe, given that the aircraft was manufactured by an American company, Boeing, and was made in the US.A UK AAIB team will also assist in the investigation, as will Boeing and other major component manufacturers like GE, which supplied engines for the committee will hold its first meeting next week, according to a senior government official. It will study steps taken by other countries following such accidents and its suggestions will be incorporated in the National Civil Aviation Policy , which was launched in have been three fatal crashes in the US this year, which sparked calls for overhauling of the Federal Aviation Authority "This accident is a jolt for all of us. But it is also a wake-up call and the committee will suggest measures to make it safer, looking at the scenario where aviation is no more a luxury but an essential mode of transport and transforming India into an aviation hub ," said the official cited.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Air Safety Panel Set up to Advise on Policy Revamp
A committee led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan will suggest steps to overhaul India's aviation safety policy as the government is looking to prevent a recurrence of incidents such as Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane crash that killed more than 270 people. Announcing formation of the panel two days after the country's worst air crash, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said it will examine the existing standard operating procedures and make recommendations on how to prevent and handle such occurrences. This is besides the investigation that statutory body Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct. 'We have put a time limit of three months for them to sit down, talk to various stakeholders, involve and discuss with any other important expert that is necessary,' Naidu said at his first media briefing after Thursday's crash. The committee will include the heads of civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and security regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, as well as joint secretary-level officers from the state and central governments. It will also consult experts in aviation safety, accident investigators and lawyers. AAIB, under the civil aviation ministry, is investigating the crash, while the US National Transportation Safety Board will also be involved in the detailed probe, given that the aircraft was manufactured by an American company, Boeing, and was made in the US. A UK AAIB team will also assist in the investigation, as will Boeing and other major component manufacturers like GE, which supplied engines for the aircraft. The committee will hold its first meeting next week, according to a senior government official. It will study steps taken by other countries following such accidents and its suggestions will be incorporated in the National Civil Aviation Policy, which was launched in 2016. There have been three fatal crashes in the US this year, which sparked calls for overhauling of the Federal Aviation Authority. 'This accident is a jolt for all of us. But it is also a wake-up call and the committee will suggest measures to make it safer, looking at the scenario where aviation is no more a luxury but an essential mode of transport and transforming India into an aviation hub ,' said the official cited.
