Parliament Question: Safety Norms for Aero-Sports

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3430 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12th March 2026 ) SAFETY NORMS FOR AERO-SPORTS 3430. SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether the Government has prescribed uniform national safety standards for aero-sports such as paragliding and skydiving covering pilot licensing, equipment certification, passenger insurance, operator accreditation and mechanisms to monitor compliance and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the GAGAN is being leveraged for navigation accuracy, pilot tracking, distress alerts and emergency response for adventure aviation activities at locations such as Bir Billing and Kullu-Manali and during international events including the Paragliding World Cup held at Panchgani in February 2026 and if so, the details thereof; (c) the current status of operationalisation of the Air Sports Federation of India under the National Air Sports Policy, 2022; (d) the number of accidents, fatalities and serious injuries reported in aero- sports including paragliding and skydiving during the last three years, activity- wise; and (e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken to prevent such accidents in the States such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand including improved weather forecasting and real-time advisories, crowd and launch-site regulation, inter- agency coordination and strengthened accountability of pilots and operators? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) The National Air Sports Guidelines, 2023 (NASG- 2023) have been issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It establishes a national framework for air sports through the Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI). NASG outlines the governance structure, safety, security, registration, flight permission along with provisions of penalty, suspension and cancellation for non-compliances in Air Sports activities such as paragliding and skydiving. DGCA oversees safety requirements and licensing for DGCA- regulated categories such as gliders, micro-lights, Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), gyroplanes,balloons, drones, powered hang gliders, in accordance with the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements issued thereunder. (b) GAGAN implemented by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) as a Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) is primarily designed for use of civil aviation sector providing required guidance for suitable equipped aircrafts and crew. (c) National Air Sports Guidelines 2023 have since replaced the National Air Sports Policy 2022. Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Civil Aviation) in accordance with NASG 2023. (d)At present, accident and incident data relating to aero-sports activities are largely maintained at State level. The accidents, fatalities, and serious injuries in air sports are not mandatorily reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. (e) To enhance safety and prevent accidents in Air Sports activities, including in States such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken several steps such as:- i. DGCA has advised all State Governments to ensure effective implementation of the provisions of the National Air Sports Guidelines, 2023 (NASG-2023) and to disseminate the guidelines to district authorities for enforcement of necessary safety measures. DGCA has also engaged with State authorities to sensitize them on key safety requirements prior to the grant of permissions for Air Sports activities. ii. States have been advised to issue or update comprehensive State-level guidelines for paragliding and other Air Sports, covering aspects such as verification of aircraft/equipment maintenance, pilot licensing and ratings, launch-site regulation, crowd management, inter-agency coordination, accident and incident reporting mechanisms, rescue arrangements and compensation framework. iii. DGCA has constituted a Committee to draft comprehensive Air Sports Rules covering safety, training, airworthiness, licensing, oversight and enforcement for all Air Sports activities, including paragliding. iv. The Aero Club of India (ACI -NAC India), the Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) and DGCA are actively engaging with State Governments and Union Territories to facilitate alignment of air sports activities with nationally prescribed standards relating to safety, licensing, accreditation and oversight. ******