FIP writes to PM Modi urging a statutory Civil Aviation Authority to replace the DGCA, citing regulatory shortcomings as India's aviation sector expands rapidly.
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The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to establish an autonomous, statutory Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to replace the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The letter, dated August 6, revives a reform push that stalled nearly a decade ago.
The proposal draws on concerns flagged by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), parliamentary committees, and the rapid growth of India's aviation sector. "Although the proposal gained significant momentum in 2013-2014, the legislation ultimately lapsed and India continues to be regulated by the DGCA under the Ministry of Civil Aviation," the letter stated.
India, now the third-largest domestic aviation market globally, remains an outlier among major regional economies, the FIP argued. Neighbors such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka already operate autonomous statutory CAAs. The FIP said India's regulatory framework must evolve to align with international best practices.
The FIP's blueprint resurrects core elements from the lapsed 2013 Civil Aviation Authority Bill. Key structural recommendations include creating a dedicated Civil Aviation Authority Fund sustained through user fees, licensing charges, and cost-recovery safety audits, reducing reliance on government grants. The proposal also calls for empowering the authority to hire industry experts directly with competitive, market-based remuneration rather than being bound by routine civil service rules. A professional board would feature a chairperson, a director general, and domain experts covering flight safety, airworthiness, air navigation, consumer affairs, and environmental compliance, appointed for fixed terms.
The FIP claimed the government has identified several shortcomings in the existing DGCA structure. Rapid sector expansion has strained the conventional government department. Commercial fleets now top 850 aircraft. Passenger numbers have surged past 239 million. Emerging domains like drones and advanced air mobility add further complexity.
Critical structural limitations under the current setup include a lack of institutional independence, as major regulatory decisions and financial outlays require cumbersome government approvals. Rigid government pay scales make it difficult to attract and retain specialized aviation talent, such as airline captains, flight operations inspectors, and airworthiness engineers. Unlike global counterparts in the UK, Singapore, and neighboring South Asian nations that operate self-sustaining bodies, the DGCA's revenue goes straight into the Consolidated Fund of India, leaving the regulator dependent on annual budget allocations.
Proponents of the reform argue that independent leadership and continuous digital investment would speed up pilot licensing, enhance fatigue risk management, and secure global confidence in India's aviation oversight system.
Copies of the proposal have also been forwarded to Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Civil Aviation Secretary SK Sinha, Cabinet Secretary Dr TV Somanathan, and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. No official response has been reported.
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