Why in the News?

Indian aviation safety has come under scrutiny following the AI-171 crash (June 2025) and the subsequent handling of its investigation. The article highlights a sharp contrast between India’s stated compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) norms and actual investigative practices.

Introduction

India is a signatory to the Chicago Convention and follows ICAO Annex 13, which mandates transparent, independent, and timely aircraft accident investigations. However, recent aviation incidents reveal a widening gap between formal compliance and institutional practice. The handling of the AI-171 crash reflects structural weaknesses in investigation autonomy, regulatory enforcement, and safety oversight, undermining public confidence and international credibility.

What triggered concerns about India’s aviation safety credibility?

1. AI-171 Crash (June 12, 2025): Aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad; 242 passengers onboard, only one survivor, 19 deaths on the ground.
2. Immediate Institutional Response: Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) recovered within days, yet findings delayed.
3. Contrast with Norms: ICAO requires timely disclosure and independent investigation; delays contradict this principle.
4. Pattern Recognition: This incident can be linked with earlier aviation safety lapses, indicating a systemic issue rather than an aberration.

How does the investigation process reveal institutional weaknesses?

1. Delayed Preliminary Report: Released one month later, despite early data recovery.
2. Flight Control Anomalies: Report acknowledged engine power loss and control switches moving to “cut-off” within seconds.
3. Pilot Testimony Ignored: Cockpit voice recordings indicated the pilot denied manually cutting fuel.
4. Opaque Disclosure: Only selective information released; full datasets not shared with public or independent bodies.

Why is exclusion of international investigators a serious concern?

1. NTSB Role Marginalised: Despite early participation, the US National Transportation Safety Board limited to technical assistance.
2. Breakdown in Trust: Reported friction between Indian authorities and international experts.
3. Global Best Practice: Major aviation investigations rely on multi-national expert participation to ensure neutrality.
4. Credibility Impact: Isolationism weakens confidence in findings and raises suspicion of narrative control.

What does the article reveal about regulatory failure and enforcement gaps?

1. Repeated Safety Violations: India recorded three fatal aviation accidents in 15 years, including Mangalore (2010) and Kozhikode (2020).
2. Unimplemented Recommendations: Court of Inquiry findings and ICAO standards not fully enforced.
3. DGCA Dilution: Aviation regulations modified under airline pressure, weakening oversight.
4. IndiGo Example: Rapid expansion despite unresolved safety concerns highlighted regulatory accommodation.

How does digital opacity worsen aviation safety accountability?

1. Encrypted Communication Systems: Airlines using WhatsApp-based safety apps restrict audit trails.
2. Data Access Control: Safety data accessible only to company and regulator, excluding public scrutiny.
3. Delayed Emergency Directives: DGCA issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive months after earlier crashes.
4. Outcome: Reduced traceability, weakened whistleblower protection, and compromised safety culture.

Why is India’s approach diplomatically and strategically damaging?

1. ICAO Standing: India’s credibility as a compliant aviation state weakened.
2. Soft Power Impact: Aviation safety failures affect India’s reputation as a reliable global transport hub.
3. Precedent Risk: Normalisation of opaque investigations threatens long-term passenger safety.

Conclusion

India’s aviation safety challenge is not rooted in absence of laws or expertise, but in erosion of investigative credibility, regulatory accommodation, and transparency deficits. Restoring trust requires institutional independence, international cooperation, and strict adherence to ICAO norms. Without these, aviation safety risks becoming procedurally compliant but substantively compromised.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government’s UDAN Scheme and its achievements.

Linkage: The expansion of regional air connectivity under the UDAN Scheme strengthens GS Paper III (Infrastructure-Airports) by promoting balanced regional development and economic integration. However, as highlighted by recent aviation safety concerns, rapid airport expansion must be accompanied by robust regulatory oversight and safety governance, linking infrastructure growth with institutional accountability.

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