New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have signed a significant Project Document to review India’s national regulations on height restrictions around aerodromes, marking a key step in strengthening the country’s aviation safety framework.
The project, titled “Provision of technical expertise to review the national regulations related to height limitations around aerodromes”, will be executed by ICAO with AAI as the implementing agency.
It aims to benchmark India’s regulatory framework with ICAO provisions ensuring aviation safety while enabling sustainable urban development around airports, said an official release from AAI.
The agreement was signed in the presence of the Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu during the 42nd ICAO Assembly in Montreal by Vipin Kumar, Chairman, AAI, and Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General, ICAO, it said.
Scheduled to commence in November 2025, the study will run for three months (excluding recruitment time) at a total estimated cost of USD 321,400.
ICAO will field a team of international experts in Aerodrome Operations, Aircraft Operations, Flight Operations, and Communication, Navigation & Surveillance (CNS). While much of the work will be conducted remotely, selected on-site missions will be undertaken, it added.
India is among the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, with the number of operational airports increasing from 74 to 163 over the past 11 years, it pointed out.
India aims to expand this network to 350 airports by 2047.
“To meet this demand, aerotropolis and aero city models are being planned around major airports, ensuring a balanced approach between maintaining aviation safety and fostering urban development,” it added.