DGCA Draft Rules: India’s Aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed stricter norms for foreign airlines operating in the country. This move comes at the heart of DGCA stepping up its monitoring on a weekly and fortnightly basis for critical operations of airlines.
DGCA issues draft rules for operations of foreign airlines in India
Key points
– Foreign airlines must seek permission to operate in India.
– Foreign airlines must apply 90 days before kicking off flight operations in India.
– Operating authorisation granted will be valid for a maximum of five years.
– Before starting operations, airlines must coordinate airport slots with the concerned airport.
– Before starting operations, airlines should submit flight schedule 30 days prior.
Murlidhar Mohol’s response to disruptions at IndiGo in Dec 2025
Responding to a query in the Rajya Sabha on the reasons for the large scale disruptions at IndiGo in December 2025 and action taken to prevent recurrence of a similar situation in the future, Union minister Murlidhar Mohol said the primary causes for the disruption were over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness along with deficiencies in system software support and shortcomings in management structure and operational control on the part of the airline, news agency PTI reported.
“DGCA has introduced more robust measures to ensure compliance by airlines with regulations which include — increased monitoring on weekly and fortnightly basis for critical operations along with bi-monthly visits to the operator by DGCA’s principal point-of contact inspector — to closely monitor the airline’s operations, with particular emphasis on roster integrity, crew availability, buffer adequacy, system robustness and adherence to FDTL requirements,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
Amid Israel-US vs Iran: DGCA asked airlines to avoid 11 airspaces
Indian airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, have cancelled their flights to the Middle East on Sunday, March 1, while the regulator DGCA advised the carriers to temporarily avoid airspaces of 11 countries, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, till March 2, amid the US and Israel strikes on Iran. The countries are Iran, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar.
In a post from its X handle, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said 410 flights of domestic carriers were cancelled on Saturday, February 28, while 444 flights are expected to be cancelled on Sunday, March 1, due to the airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East.
“DGCA is maintaining close coordination with airlines to ensure full compliance with safety and operational regulations. Passengers are advised to check and confirm their flight status with the respective airlines before proceeding to the airport.
DGCA grants aerodrome licence to Noida’s Jewar airport
The Noida International Airport in Jewar has received a key administrative clearance after India’s aviation regulator issued the aerodrome licence for the project.
The DGCA granted the licence, paving the way for the airport to begin operations. With the approval now in place, preparations for the airport’s formal inauguration have gathered pace.
