Post-Ahmedabad crash, DGCA introduces 360-degree audit of India's aviation ecosystem

DGCA puts in place special audit framework for '360-degree' evaluation of Indian aviation ecosystem

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India’s civil aviation regulator, has introduced a special audit framework aimed at conducting a comprehensive, "360-degree" evaluation of the country’s aviation ecosystem. This new initiative seeks to move beyond the existing fragmented audit approach that evaluates different aviation components in isolation.

The decision comes in the wake of the tragic crash of Air India’s Ahmedabad to London Gatwick flight, which occurred shortly after takeoff and claimed the lives of 241 people on board, along with many on the ground.

In a circular issued on June 19, DGCA announced that it is implementing an integrated audit structure to enhance oversight and strengthen aviation safety mechanisms across the board.

Until now, regulatory and safety inspections in India’s aviation sector have largely been carried out independently by different directorates, each focusing on its own specific area. The DGCA noted that this compartmentalised method limited a holistic understanding of systemic risks.

The new audit approach is designed to overcome these limitations by evaluating the overall safety management systems, operational standards, and compliance across all aviation entities.

According to the DGCA, the objective is to carry out a well-rounded assessment that highlights both strengths and areas that require improvement within the aviation infrastructure.

The scope of these special audits will cover scheduled and non-scheduled air operators, private aviation companies, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, Approved Training Organisations (ATOs), Flying Training Organisations (FTOs), Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), aerodrome operators, and ground handling agencies.

By adopting a risk-based, integrated methodology, the DGCA aims to proactively uncover system-wide weaknesses, improve operational resilience, and ensure compliance with both International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as well as national aviation goals.

These special evaluations will complement the existing regulatory checks under the Annual Surveillance Programme and will be carried out by multi-disciplinary teams. Each team will be headed by a senior DGCA official at the rank of Deputy Director General (DDG) or Director, supported by experts from various departments including Flight Standards, Air Safety, Airworthiness, Airspace and Navigation Services, Licensing, and Aerodrome Standards.

India remains one of the world’s fastest-expanding civil aviation markets, making such proactive measures vital to ensuring the sector’s safe and sustainable growth.