India has firmly established itself as the world’s third-largest domestic civil aviation market, underscoring the remarkable growth of the sector over the past decade. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha highlighted this achievement while addressing a seminar organised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Mr. Sinha noted that India’s commercial aircraft fleet has expanded more than twofold, rising from 395 aircraft in 2014 to 844 by 2025. This rapid expansion reflects the sustained demand for air travel and the growing role of aviation in supporting the country’s economic development. He added that domestic passenger traffic has grown at an impressive average rate of around 9 per cent annually during the last ten years, while air cargo volumes have increased by 2.9 per cent, further strengthening India’s aviation ecosystem.
Emphasising the importance of safety amid this growth, the Civil Aviation Secretary said that safety is not a fixed destination but an ongoing journey that requires constant vigilance, strict compliance and shared accountability. Through practical examples, he highlighted critical safety concerns that resonated strongly with participants and reinforced the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in maintaining a secure and reliable aviation environment.
Director General of DGCA, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, reaffirmed the regulator’s commitment to proactive safety oversight and alignment with global standards. He outlined several key initiatives being undertaken to strengthen aviation safety, including the implementation of the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, the State Safety Programme and the National Aviation Safety Plan. These measures, he said, aim to ensure that India’s aviation growth is supported by a robust and forward-looking safety framework.
The seminar featured three technical sessions focusing on major safety challenges in the aviation sector—runway incursion, fostering a positive safety culture in aviation, and maintenance-related errors. Experts from regulatory bodies and the aviation industry participated in detailed discussions on identifying root causes, sharing best practices and proposing effective mitigation strategies.
Across all sessions, speakers stressed the need for a proactive, risk-based approach to safety management, supported by continuous learning, data-driven decision-making and close collaboration between regulators and industry players. The discussions highlighted that as India’s aviation sector continues to expand rapidly, sustained attention to safety will remain central to ensuring safe, efficient and resilient air transport operations.
Leave Your Comment