FAA audit to assess India’s ability to retain Category 1 safety rating

New Delhi: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will conduct a five-day review of India’s aviation safety oversight system from November 16, with the assessment expected to play a key role in determining the country’s ability to retain its top-tier Category 1 safety rating amid rapid growth in the aviation sector.

The audit, scheduled from November 16 to 20, comes at a time when India’s aviation industry is expanding rapidly, placing greater responsibility on regulators to ensure compliance with international safety standards.

Under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme, the US regulator evaluates whether a country’s civil aviation authority possesses the regulatory capability and institutional framework required to oversee airlines operating international services.

The assessment also determines whether carriers from that country can operate flights to the United States or enter into codeshare arrangements with US airlines.

The upcoming review will assess the effectiveness of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in enforcing safety regulations and maintaining standards prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

India currently holds Category 1 status, the highest rating under the FAA’s safety assessment framework.

The classification signifies that the country’s aviation regulator complies with ICAO standards and has adequate oversight mechanisms in place.

At present, Air India is the only Indian carrier operating direct flights to destinations in the United States.

India last underwent an IASA review beginning in October 2021, when FAA officials inspected the DGCA’s systems and procedures.

That review involved follow-up consultations in April 2022 and additional assessments in July and September of the same year.

In April 2023, the FAA announced that India had successfully retained its Category 1 rating.

The latest evaluation assumes added significance amid heightened scrutiny of aviation safety following a series of incidents involving aircraft and helicopters. Last year, an Air India Boeing 787-8 operating a flight to London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of 260 people. Several helicopter accidents and other aviation-related incidents have also been reported this year, bringing renewed attention to safety oversight and regulatory effectiveness.