Aviation in India can be broadly divided into military and civil aviation. India has an extensive civilian air transportation network and is amongst the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The first commercial aviation flight in India took place on 18 February 1911. In March 1953, the Indian Parliament passed the Air Corporations Act by which the eight domestic airlines operating independently at that time were merged into two government-owned entities. Air India, tracing its origins to 1932, is the flag carrier of India. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), established in 1931, is the regulatory body responsible for civil aviation, working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Airports Authority of India is responsible for the management of civil aviation infrastructure. As of 2025, there are 33 international, 11 limited international airports and more than 100 domestic and private airports. De-regulation in the 1990s opened the industry to private players who cater to majority of the traffic as of 2025, handling more than 200 million air passengers annually.
The Indian Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the military operations. Royal Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 with the first squadron commissioned in April 1933. It later became the Indian Air Force in 1950 and is the major military air operator in India. Indian Air Force maintains a fleet of various aircraft and air bases across India. Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard also maintain air infrastructure in a supporting role.
The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (IAST: Bhāratīya Vāyuyān Adhiniyam; lit. ’Indian Aircraft Act, 2024‘) is an Act of the Parliament of India. This Act provides for regulation and control of the design, manufacture, maintenance, possession, use, operation, sale, export and import of aircraft and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
This Act replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934.
Timeline
- On 31 July 2024, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, was introduced in Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India.
- On 9 August 2024, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, was passed by Lok Sabha.
- On 5 December 2024, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 was introduced in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India.
- On 5 December 2024, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 was passed by Rajya Sabha.
- On 11 December 2024, the President of India has given assent to the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 making it the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024.
The Act
The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 is divided into eight chapters, each addressing a distinct aspect of civil aviation governance in India. The structure reflects a shift toward modern regulatory practices, replacing the older Aircraft Act of 1934.
- Chapter I – Preliminary Introduces the Act, defines key terms, and lays out its scope and applicability.
- Chapter II – Regulation of Civil Aviation Details the powers of the Central Government and DGCA in overseeing aviation activities, including licensing and operational standards.
- Chapter III – Aircraft Operations Covers registration, airworthiness, and operational requirements for aircraft flying in Indian airspace.
- Chapter IV – Licensing of Personnel Specifies the qualifications and licensing procedures for pilots, engineers, and other aviation professionals.
- Chapter V – Aerodrome and Navigation Services Regulates the setup and functioning of airports and air navigation infrastructure.
- Chapter VI – Safety and Security Focuses on aviation safety, accident investigations, and security protocols.
- Chapter VII – Enforcement and Penalties Lists offenses and penalties, and outlines enforcement mechanisms including inspections and adjudication.
- Chapter VIII – Miscellaneous Includes transitional provisions, rule-making powers, and repeal clauses.
Civil Aviation
The Ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for civilian aviation, through regulatory oversight by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).The National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 set the guidelines and goals for operations of civil aviation. India is the third largest civilian aviation market with airlines carrying more than 200 million passengers in 2020.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is a statutory body of the Government of India to regulate civil aviation in India. It became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020. The DGCA investigates aviation accidents and incidents, maintains all regulations related to aviation and is responsible for issuance of licenses pertaining to aviation like PPL’s, SPL’s and CPL’s in India. It is headquartered along Sri Aurobindo Marg, opposite Safdarjung Airport, in New Delhi.The Government of India is planning to replace the organisation with a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), modelled on the lines of the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Vision
Endeavour to promote safe and efficient Air Transportation through regulation and proactive safety oversight system.
Functions
- Certification of airports
- Registration of civil aircraft
- Licensing to pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers and flight engineers, and conducting examinations and checks for that purpose. For pilot licences, the DGCA prescribes written examinations in core subjects including Air Regulations, Aviation Meteorology, Air Navigation, and Technical General.
- Carrying out amendments to the Aircraft Act, the Aircraft Rules and the Civil Aviation Requirements for complying with the amendments to ICAO Annexes, and initiating proposals for amendment to any other Act or for passing a new Act in order to give effect to an international Convention or amendment to an existing convention.
- Formulation of standards of airworthiness for civil aircraft registered in India and grant of certificates of airworthiness to such aircraft
- Conducting investigation into incidents and serious incidents involving aircraft up to 2250 kg AUW and taking accident prevention measures, including formulation of implementation of Safety Aviation Management Programmes
- Checks on the proficiency of flight crew and other operational personnel such as flight dispatchers and cabin crew
- Coordination of ICAO matters with all agencies, sending replies to State letters, and taking all necessary action arising out of the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) of ICAO.
- Granting Air Operator’s Certificates to Indian carriers and regulation of air transport services operating to/from/within/over India by Indian and foreign operators, including clearance of scheduled and non-scheduled flights of such operators
- Approval of institutes engaged in flying training including simulator training, AME training, air traffic services training or any other training related with aviation, with a view to ensuring a high quality of training
- Approval to aircraft maintenance, repair, design and manufacturing organizations and their continued oversight
- A nodal agency for implementing Annex 9 provisions in India and for coordinating matters relating to facilitation at Indian airports, including holding meetings of the National Facilitation Committee DGCA Organisation Manual
- Rendering advice to the Government on matters relating to air transport including bilateral air services agreements, on ICAO matters and generally on all technical matters relating to civil aviation, and to act as an overall regulatory and developmental body for civil aviation in the country
- Keeping a check on aircraft noise and engine emissions in accordance with ICAO Annex 16 and collaborating with the environmental authorities in this matter, if required
- Regulation and oversight of matters related to Air Navigation Services. Coordination at national level for flexi-use of air space by civil and military air traffic agencies and interaction with ICAO for provision of more air routes for civil use through Indian airspace
- Promoting indigenous design and manufacture of aircraft and aircraft components by acting as a catalytic agent
- Approving training programmes of operators for carriage of dangerous goods, issuing authorizations for carriage of dangerous goods, etc.
- Safety Oversight of all entities approved/ certified/ licensed under the Aircraft Rules 1937.
Departments
These are classified and divided into the following:
- Administration Directorate
- Aerodrome Standards Directorate (AD)
- Air Safety Directorate (DAS)
- Air Transport Directorate (AT)
- Airworthiness Directorate (DAW) (which is also responsible for registering drones in India)
- Central Examination Organisation(CEO) ( Responsible for conducting Online Examination for Pilots and AMEs)
- Flight Standards Directorate (FSD)
- Information & Regulation Directorate (DRI)
- Aircraft Engineering Directorate (AED)
- Directorate Of Flying Training (DFT)
- Medical Section
- Directorate of Training & Licensing (DTL)
- Directorate of Airspace and Air Navigation Services Standards (ANSS)
Regional offices
DGCA has fourteen Regional Airworthiness Offices (RAO) at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Kanpur, Guwahati and Patiala. It has also five Regional Air Safety offices located at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. It has a Regional Research and Development Office located at Bangalore. It has 5 Aircraft Engineering offices located at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kanpur and a Gliding Centre at Pune.
Civil Aviation Authority
The CAA has been envisaged as an autonomous regulatory body which will replace the DGCA and will meet standards set by the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The CAA will have separate departments to deal with safety, economic regulation and grievance resolution, as well as a full-fledged environment department. It will also have an independent accident investigation bureau. The Authority will also have the autonomy to recruit staff. Currently,the DGCA is understaffed and does not have any recruitment powers. The CAA will have administrative and financial powers similar to those of the American FAA. These powers will redefine the regulator’s role and better equip it to face the challenges of the growing Aviation sector in the country. Employees working with DGCA will be transferred to the CAA.
The estimated cost of establishing the new Authority would be around Rs 11.2 million. The CAA would be self-financing and have a separate fund called the ‘Civil Aviation Authority of India Fund’ that would finance its entire expenses. It would have a Chairperson, a Director General and 7-9 members appointed by the Central Government. These members will be qualified in the fields of aviation safety, aircraft engineering, flight standard operations, aerodromes, air navigation systems and air space management.
Air accident investigation
Previously the DGCA conducted investigations and gave information to the investigations established by the Court of Inquiry and the Committee Inquiry. A separate investigative agency was established to comply with the Standards And Recommended Practices (SARPs) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Therefore, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was established in 2011.
Aviation security
In January 1978, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) was established as a department of the DGCA. As a result of the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, on 1 April 1987, the BCAS became an independent agency of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
FOI resignation
13 Flight Operations Inspectors working with the DGCA have tendered their resignation in a week of May 2015 in protest against the aviation regulator’s decision to post them away from their homes in Delhi to Mumbai and Chennai.
Air force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation’s armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviation or naval aviation units. Typically, air forces are responsible for gaining control of the air, carrying out strategic and tactical bombing missions, and providing support to land and naval forces often in the form of aerial reconnaissance and close air support.
