Civil Aviation

Civil Aviation Minister Naidu named among WEF's young global leaders

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has named Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and six others from India among the young global leaders. On April 15, WEF unveiled its 2025 cohort of young global leaders -- 116 exceptional individuals under the age of 40 who are redefining leadership in a changing world. "Feeling deeply honoured and humbled to be named a Young Global Leader 2025 by the World Economic Forum (@wef). This recognition is not just a personal milestone -- it is a reminder of the responsibility we carry as young leaders to shape a better future for our people and our nation," Naidu, who is also the youngest Cabinet Minister, said in a post on X on Thursday. Apart from Naidu, there are six others from India on the list. They are Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, OYO Hotels and Homes; Alok Medikepura Anil, Managing Director, Next Big Innovation Labs; Natarajan Sankar, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group; Nipun Malhotra, Founder,

Air India passenger urinates on fellow traveller on Delhi-Bangkok flight

An Air India passenger allegedly urinated on a fellow traveller during a flight from the national capital to Bangkok on Wednesday, according to sources. Air India, in a statement, said that an incident of "unruly passenger behavior" was reported on its Delhi-Bangkok flight on April 9 and the matter has been reported to the authorities (DGCA). When asked about the incident, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said the ministry will take note of the incident and speak to the airline. "If there is any wrongdoing, we will take necessary action," Naidu said on the sidelines of an event in the national capital. "Air India confirms that an incident of unruly passenger behaviour was reported to the cabin crew operating flight AI2336, from Delhi to Bangkok, on April 9, 2025," an Air India spokesperson said. The crew followed all laid down procedures, and the matter has been reported to the authorities, it said. In addition to warning the unruly passenger, the airline s

New bill to boost aircraft leasing, strengthen banking: Union minister

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday said the Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025, will boost the Indian aircraft leasing industry and strengthen the country's banking ecosystem as it will address the inconsistencies in the leasing regulations. Soon after the Rajya Sabha passed the bill, the minister also said the push for the aircraft leasing industry was the need of the hour. The proposed legislation seeks to provide legal backing for the Cape Town Convention that mainly pertains to the leasing of aircraft. In a post on X, the minister said that for too long, inconsistencies in leasing regulations have made it difficult to lease planes in India. The bill will "boost the Indian leasing industry, incentivise domestic lessors, and strengthen our banking ecosystem -- ensuring a more accessible and comfortable aviation landscape. This push for the leasing industry was the need of the hour...," he said. India is one of the world's fastest-growing civi

Trade body CTI urges Delhi CM to reduce VAT on aviation turbine fuel

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) on Monday wrote a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, urging a reduction in Value Added Tax (VAT)on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to prevent a shift of air passengers to Noida's Jewar Airport. CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said the high VAT on ATF in Delhi is making flight operations costlier, which could lead airlines to prefer Jewar Airport in Uttar Pradesh. He said, "While Delhi levies a 25 per cent VAT on ATF, Uttar Pradesh reduced its tax from 21 per cent to just 1 per cent in December 2024." CTI General Secretary Gurmeet Arora emphasised that the lower tax in UP will significantly reduce operational costs for airlines, potentially leading to lower airfares at Jewar Airport compared to Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. He said this price gap could result in a shift of air travellers to the new airport. The CTI added that if VAT on ATF in Delhi is reduced, airlines will face pressure to lower ticket prices, benefiting ...

Govt to set up SPV for making aircraft in India: Civil aviation minister

The government is in the process of setting a special purpose vehicle for making regional transport aircraft, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Monday as he asserted that necessary policies are in place for India to manufacture planes and its components. Replying to questions in the Rajya Sabha, the minister highlighted the steps taken by the government to promote aircraft component manufacturing and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) activities, including having a uniform IGST rate. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and domestic carriers have placed orders for more than 1,500 planes as they expand their fleets to meet rising air traffic demand. "We have changed the thought process that we have when it comes to manufacturing of aircraft. We are saying that India is at the stage right now where we can manufacture, we can design and we can maintain an aircraft," Naidu said. Elaborating about the way forward, the minister said the ..

Air India sacks trainer pilot after probe into whistleblower claims

Air India on Wednesday said it has terminated the services of a trainer pilot for lapses and 10 pilots who underwent training under the trainer pilot have been removed from flying duties pending investigation. The latest action came after a whistleblower alleged that a simulator trainer pilot had failed to properly discharge his duties during recurrent simulator training for pilots. In a statement, the Tata Group-owned airline said a detailed probe was conducted into the allegations, which were corroborated after a review of the evidence. Without disclosing specific details, Air India said the trainer pilot's services are being terminated. "As a precaution, ten pilots who underwent recurrent training under the trainer pilot have been removed from flying duties pending further investigation," the airline said. Further, Air India said it voluntarily reported the matter to aviation regulator DGCA and also commended the whistleblower for stepping forward. Details about the trainer pi

Inspection done, Navi Mumbai airport likely to be inaugurated on April 17

Previously, the airport had encountered some setbacks. During a commercial flight test on December 29, an IndiGo A320 aircraft landed on runway, prompting the DGCA to highlight certain readiness

India needs at least 20K pilots in coming years: Aviation minister Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday launched Electronic Personnel License (EPL) for pilots, a significant step towards modernising and enhancing the safety, security, and efficiency of civil aviation in India. With this launch, India has become the second country in the world to implement EPL for flight crew. China has already implemented such a facility. The minister launched the EPL at UDAAN Bhawan here. Implementation of Electronic Personnel License (EPL) by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) aligns with the government's Ease of Doing Business and Digital India Initiative. The adoption of EPL cements India's position as a leader in aviation innovation. India has not only addressed the needs of its own aviation sector but has also set an example for other nations to follow. The step aligns with the roadmap of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for modern aviation governance and reflects the nation's readiness to embrace the future.

Aircraft tech glitches reported by Indian airlines fall in last 3 yrs: Govt

The number of technical glitches in aircraft reported by various Indian airlines has reduced in the last three years, with the count at 273 for 10,69,680 flights operated during the period from January 2024 to January 2025. In 2023, there were 390 technical faults reported for 11,94,777 flights operated that year. In 2022, the number stood at 723 for 9,97,041 flights operated in that particular year, official data showed on Monday. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the data available for the last three years (2022-2024) shows there was a decrease in the number of technical glitches reported by the airlines. Technical snags are general phenomena in aircraft which may be caused due to improper function/malfunction of components/ system/ accessories fitted on the aircraft, he said in a written reply. Separately, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the government has been encouraging the development of the ecosystem for the manufacturing of aircraft, .

Ukraine drone attack forces flight suspensions at many Russian airports

Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said that it was suspending flights from the airports of Astrakhan as well as from four others, in Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Saratov and Ulyanovsk to ensure air safety

Centre entrusts SSB chief Amrit Mohan to hold additional charge as BCAS DG

Prasad, a 1989-batch IPS officer of the Odisha cadre, has been given the additional charge for six months with effect from November 1, 2024, or till the joining of the regular incumbent

Govt mulls regulatory sandbox for advanced air mobility solutions

The civil aviation ministry is looking to have a regulatory sandbox for advanced air mobility solutions that will also help address urban congestion. Emphasising that the time for electric air mobility has come, Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam on Tuesday said, "Our doors are open to promote and support advanced air mobility". He was speaking at the International Conference on Air Mobility in Greater Noida which was organised by the civil aviation ministry and industry body CII. Advanced air mobility solutions include eVTOLs (electric Vertical Take Off Landing) aircraft. For advanced air mobility, the secretary said, "We are looking at a regulatory sandbox within India". It will help entities working on R&D activities as well as developing solutions. Officials from the DGCA have started field visits to firm up sites where the trials and other activities related to advanced air mobility. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set up six working groups ...

Section of Akasa Air pilots seeks probe into airline's hiring practices

A section of Akasa Air has written to the civil aviation ministry seeking a probe into the airline's hiring practices, alleging rostering issues and other lapses. Among others, these pilots have claimed that some operating crew do not report to work on time and claimed that there are issues with reporting of On Time Performance. On Thursday, the section of the pilots sent an e-mail to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, Civil Aviation Secretary, and Director General of Civil Aviation, flagging various issues at the airline. There was no immediate comment from Akasa Air. In the e-mail, the pilots have sought an investigation into the airline's hiring practices, claiming that hiring was being done at the whims and fancies of a chosen few. It also alleged that the carrier does not have a stable roster. Recently, the section of pilots had raised concerns about alleged training and safety issues at the airline even though the airline had rejected them as baseless and untrue. In

CISF sets up 'quality control' unit to enhance civil aviation security

CISF has set up a quality control unit to "enhance" the "operational efficiency" of its aviation security wing that provides a counter-terrorist cover to 68 civil airports of the country. An spokesperson for the paramilitary force said on Saturday that the Internal Quality Control Unit (IQCU) will play a "crucial" role in establishing "world-class" security procedures and technology for the airports that are used by lakhs of domestic and international passengers every day. The initiative is in compliance with the National Civil Aviation Security Quality Control Programme (NCASQCP) of 2024 issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft (Security) Rules of 2023, he said. The BCAS, under the civil aviation ministry, frames security policies for the Indian civil aviation sector. The new unit will bring about uniformity in civil aviation security procedures and training, recommend new technology available world over, allow internal audits of CISF security units

International Civil Aviation Day 2024: 50 wishes, quotes, messages to share

International Civil Aviation Day 2024 is celebrated every year on December 7. The day was established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

Six airports leased out through competitive, transparent process: Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday said six airports were leased out to the Adani group through a thorough, competitive and transparent process. State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has leased out six airports -- Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram -- to the Adani group. While mentioning about the leasing out of these airports, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said in the Lok Sabha that Niti Aayog and the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) were of the view that two airports should not be given to the same entity. Naidu, however, said there was no fact in the member's statement. These are wild allegations and an empowered group of secretaries, headed by Niti Aayog CEO, where DEA secretary was also a member, was constituted, he said. A thorough process was followed for the leasing out of the airports, he said, adding when they (Niti Aayog CEO, DEA secretary) were members of the group, where does the point arise tha

Air India to set up aircraft maintenance training institute in Bengaluru

Air India on Friday said it is setting up a Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO), which will offer an integrated 2+2 years Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) programme certified by the Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The Air India BMTO is a step towards building a robust, future-ready aviation ecosystem in India, the company said. It will serve the ambitions of the airline as it moves ahead in its transformation journey, strengthening the availability of aircraft maintenance engineers as Air India expands its fleet, making it self-reliant, it said in a release. Air India has signed an agreement with Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), a subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), to develop a build-to-suit facility for the AME programme that will feature modern classrooms, well-equipped laboratories for practical training and a team of qualified trainers. The purpose-built campus, spread over 86,000 square f

Domestic airlines' fleet to touch 1,400 planes in 5 years: Official

Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam on Thursday said the number of planes with domestic airlines will increase to 1,400 in the next five years as he highlighted the growth potential of the country's aviation space. Currently, the fleet is around 800 aircraft and leading carriers IndiGo and Air India have placed significant plane orders. At a function in the national capital, the secretary also mentioned about the opportunities for women in the aviation sector, including in the drone segment. In the last 10 years, the number of airports has more than doubled from 74 to 157, Vualnam said. He also said the number of passengers has doubled to around 22 crore from 11 crore. The secretary was speaking at the 'Giving Wings to Dreams Awards 2024' hosted by Women in Aviation India in collaboration with the civil aviation ministry. According to him, the Rs 120-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme was successful and that beneficiary companies have seen their overall turnov

Civil Aviation Minister Naidu vows action amid surge in hoax bomb threats

On Friday, over 20 flights of various airlines reportedly received bomb threats, according to Civil Aviation ministry

Aviation minister Naidu urges Airbus to make commercial aircraft in India

Minister inaugurated prominent aerospace company's new headquarters in Delhi