Parliament Question: Impact of regional conflicts on safety and operations of Indian civil aviation

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 4015 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30th March 2026 IMPACT OF REGIONAL CONFLICTS ON SAFETY AND OPERATIONS OF INDIAN CIVIL AVIATION 4015. SHRI SANJAY RAUT Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether any assessment has been made regarding the impact of continuing conflicts in Asia and the Gulf on the safety of Indian civil aviation and international routes passing through hubs such as Dubai International airport; (b) whether Indian airlines operating from airports such as Indira Gandhi International airport have been advised to reroute flights to avoid potential missile or drone threats; (c) details of safety advisories issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation to ensure passenger and crew safety; (d) the financial impact on airlines such as Air India and IndiGo; and (e) steps taken to ensure uninterrupted international connectivity and safety of passenger? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (e): Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued multiple advisories to address and ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft evolving from the risks arising from the Middle East conflict. These advisories provide operational guidance on affected airspace, including NOTAM, identification of high-risk areas, FIR boundaries, and impacted countries, enabling operators to plan safe routing after conducting comprehensive Safety Risk Assessments. To ensure uninterrupted connectivity, DGCA closely monitors operations and has conducted regular stakeholder review meetings. Further, the Indian Missions in the West Asian region have been closely coordinating with host Governments to facilitate the return of stranded Indian nationals. i. The Mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in coordination with Indian Missions in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE, has enabled transit of over 3,500 persons through Saudi Arabia with the support of Saudi authorities (as of 17 March 2026). ii. In the Mission in Doha (Qatar), assistance has been extended through passenger registration, coordination for limited flights and support for accommodation and emergency cases.iii. The Mission in Abu Dhabi, in coordination with local authorities, has assisted affected nationals by securing exemptions from visa overstay fines. As informed by Indian carriers including IndiGo and Air India, Indian carriers are incurring significant revenue losses due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. ******