Parliament Question: Measures to strengthen aviation safety

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2566 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16th March 2026 MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN AVIATION SAFETY 2566. DR. DHARMASTHALA VEERENDRA HEGGADE Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether Government has intensified efforts to strengthen aviation safety frameworks through collaboration with industry, regulators and stakeholders across the civil aviation ecosystem, if so, the details thereof; (b) the measures adopted to promote proactive risk-based safety management, continuous learning and integration of best practices across airlines and airports; (c) whether capacity building initiatives have been undertaken for aviation professionals, maintenance personnel and regulators to minimise operational risks, if so, the details thereof; and (d) the details of the expected impact of these safety measures on enhancing public confidence, reducing incidents and supporting the sustainable growth of the aviation sector? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a): Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has structured procedure to strengthen aviation safety framework through collaboration with industry across the civil aviation ecosystem. DGCA publishes all fresh or an amendment to Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) after inviting suggestions and comments from stakeholders, to evaluate regulations as per international best practices and globally harmonized standards. (b): DGCA has established the Safety Data Collection and Processing System (SDCPS) to identify National High-Risk Categories (N-HRCs), their Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs), and national targets, in alignment with the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP). Service providers, including airlines and airports, adopt a similar approach within their Safety Management Systems. (c): DGCA has an established comprehensive training programme for capacity building of its Officers as per international standards and best practices which includes initial, recurrent and specialized training as per their job requirements. Further, DGCA has prescribed trainingrequirements for the aviation professional including maintenance personnel through specific CARs and regulatory guidance in the form of circulars. (d): DGCA has a robust mechanism to enhance safety oversight for monitoring the compliance of rules and CARs encompassing all the aircraft and the airport operators. The safety oversight includes regulatory audits, night surveillances, ramp inspections, spot checks and special audits. DGCA publishes Annual Surveillance Plan (ASP) on its website and conducts surveillance/spot checks as per ASP. ******