NEW DELHI: Stressing that the establishment of an independent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) would ensure stronger regulatory oversight and safer skies for passengers, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written to the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Secretary, urging the Centre to create the body at the earliest. A similar attempt to establish such an authority 13 years ago failed to materialise.
In a 30-page communication sent on Thursday (August 7), FIP president Captain C S Randhawa called for replacing the existing regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), with an independent Civil Aviation Authority.
Speaking to TNIE, Captain Randhawa said, "Unlike the DGCA, which functions under the Civil Aviation Ministry, the CAA would be an independent body empowered to take its own decisions. A professional regulator of this nature would be able to recruit adequate staff on its own payroll and ensure stronger oversight of the aviation industry, including airline operators."
Given the sharp rise in air passenger traffic and the rapid expansion of aircraft fleets over the past decade, establishing such an authority has become even more critical, he said.
Randhawa pointed out that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had recommended the creation of an independent aviation regulator for India as far back as 2006. "India is the only country in the Asian region without such an authority. Even countries like the Maldives and Pakistan have their own professional aviation authorities. It is high time India had one," he said.
He added that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has also recommended the establishment of an independent Civil Aviation Authority in India.
An attempt to establish such an authority was made nearly 13 years ago.
The Civil Aviation Authority of India Bill, 2013 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 20, 2013, and referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on September 19 the same year. The committee submitted its report on January 14, 2014. However, the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha ahead of the 2014 general elections.
More than a decade later, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (Indian Aircraft Act) came into force on January 1, 2025, to reform the country's aviation sector. The Act designated the DGCA, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) as the principal bodies responsible for aviation safety, security and accident investigation, respectively.