India’s Aviation Safety Faces Critical Staffing Shortages Amid Growth

Critical Staffing Shortages Threaten India’s Aviation Safety System as Parliamentary Committee Sounds Alarm

India’s aviation sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, rapidly ascending to become one of the largest aviation markets globally. However, this expansion has exposed severe vulnerabilities in the nation’s aviation safety infrastructure. A recent parliamentary investigation has revealed acute staffing shortages at both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s primary aviation regulator, and within the air traffic control (ATC) system. Lawmakers warn that these gaps pose a significant threat to passenger safety and the overall integrity of India’s aviation ecosystem.

The urgency of these concerns was heightened by the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash in June 2025, which claimed 260 lives and brought renewed scrutiny to the country’s aviation oversight. The parliamentary committee’s findings suggest that unless immediate reforms are undertaken, the mismatch between India’s regulatory capacity and its rapidly expanding aviation industry could lead to further catastrophic events. This article examines the scope of the staffing crisis, its impact on safety, and the recommendations put forth to address these existential challenges.

As India positions itself as a global aviation hub, the ability to maintain robust safety standards will be critical, not only for protecting passengers but also for sustaining the sector’s growth and international reputation.

The Parliamentary Warning: A System Operating Beyond Safety Limits

On August 20, 2025, the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture tabled a comprehensive report in Parliament. The committee, chaired by Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Kumar Jha, described India’s aviation safety framework as operating “knowingly and consistently outside its own mandated safety limits through the routine use of exemptions.” The panel called this the “normalisation of deviance,” where persistent staffing shortages and resource pressures have led to the acceptance of known risks as part of standard operating procedures.

The report characterized these practices as a “classic organizational failure,” with controller fatigue and regulatory understaffing now normalized despite their clear dangers. The committee emphasized that such conditions present an “existential threat to the integrity of India’s aviation safety system,” warning that the sector is “operating beyond safety margins” as a matter of routine.

The timing of this report is notable, following closely on the heels of the Air India Flight 171 disaster. While the investigation into the crash is ongoing, the parliamentary committee’s findings underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms to prevent further tragedies.

“The sector is knowingly and consistently operating outside its own mandated safety limits through the routine use of exemptions, a classic organizational failure.” , Parliamentary Standing Committee Report, August 2025

DGCA’s Crippling Personnel Crisis

The DGCA is responsible for overseeing all aspects of aviation safety in India, but it is currently operating with less than half its sanctioned workforce. Of 1,063 approved positions, only 553 are filled, leaving a shortfall that the committee described as a “critical vulnerability at the very heart of India’s safety oversight system.”

The roots of this crisis lie in an “ineffective recruitment model,” where reliance on a recruitment agency and unattractive deputation terms for Indian Air Force officers have left many key technical posts unfilled. This has undermined the regulator’s ability to conduct surveillance, enforce compliance, and respond to incidents in a timely manner.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has acknowledged the problem, announcing plans to fill 190 vacancies by October 2025. However, the committee noted that even with these efforts, the gap remains substantial and poses ongoing risks, especially as the sector continues to expand.

Air Traffic Control: A System Under Extreme Pressure

The shortage of air traffic controllers is equally severe. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) currently employs 3,924 controllers against a need for 5,537, a deficit of nearly 30 percent. This shortfall has resulted in widespread fatigue, with controllers regularly working extended shifts and overtime, often beyond the 12-hour cap mandated by the DGCA.

The committee found that this fatigue increases the risk of errors that could lead to accidents. The situation is exacerbated by the rapid growth in air traffic, major hubs like Delhi and Mumbai are handling record numbers of flights, and new airports are being added to the network. The training pipeline for new controllers, which takes two to four years, means that the shortage is unlikely to be resolved quickly.

The AAI has created over 1,600 new ATCO posts in recent years, but the pace of recruitment and training lags far behind the sector’s needs. As infrastructure expands, the gap between demand and available personnel is expected to widen further.

“Overworked controllers, stretched thin across multiple duties, are more susceptible to fatigue-induced errors. The safety of the entire airspace depends not on robust, systemic safeguards, but on the over-stretched cognitive endurance of a few hundred individuals.” , Parliamentary Committee Report

Financial Constraints and Budget Realities

Budgetary pressures have compounded the staffing crisis. The Ministry of Civil Aviation’s allocation for 2025-26 was set at Rs 2,400.31 crore (about $287 million), a nearly 10 percent cut from the previous year. Funding for the regional connectivity scheme UDAN was slashed by 32 percent, despite ambitious goals to connect new destinations and serve more passengers.

The DGCA’s budget saw only a marginal increase, rising to Rs 330 crore, while the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security received Rs 95 crore. These allocations are widely viewed as insufficient to address the scale of the staffing and infrastructure challenges identified by the parliamentary committee.

Between 2020 and 2024, aviation safety funding was cut by 91 percent, even as passenger numbers more than doubled from 66 million in 2014 to 161 million in 2024. This divergence between industry growth and regulatory investment has raised concerns among safety experts and lawmakers alike.

Technical Faults and Safety Incidents

The staffing crisis has coincided with a rise in technical faults and safety incidents. Since 2020, Indian carriers have reported 2,461 technical faults, over half attributed to IndiGo Airlines, followed by SpiceJet and Air India. The committee noted that runway incursion targets are regularly exceeded, and that lessons from incident reviews are not being effectively implemented.

In the first four months of 2025, DGCA surveillance detected 4,692 deficiencies, with only 945 rectified and 3,747 still pending. Among these were 37 unresolved Level I deficiencies, representing serious lapses requiring immediate action. The committee warned that this backlog undermines the entire oversight program.

The panel called for a time-bound mechanism to close all safety deficiencies, prioritizing the most serious cases, and for stronger enforcement actions against non-compliance.

India’s Aviation Market Growth and International Comparisons

India’s aviation market has grown to become the world’s fifth-largest by passenger volume, with 211 million passengers in 2024 and a domestic market share dominated by IndiGo. The country’s airline fleet is among the youngest globally, and capacity has nearly doubled over the past decade. Yet, compared to mature markets like the United States, India’s per capita air capacity remains low, indicating significant room for further expansion.

However, India’s regulatory and safety oversight has not kept pace with this growth. International comparisons highlight the challenges: the average salary for Indian ATCOs is about $14,000 per year, far below counterparts in the U.S., U.K., or China. This wage gap makes it difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel.

Other countries face similar staffing challenges. For example, the U.S. has struggled with ATCO shortages and high attrition rates in training programs. Yet, the scale of India’s growth and the severity of its regulatory gaps make its situation particularly acute.

“India’s aviation growth is not matched by regulatory capacity, creating a dangerous mismatch that could lead to catastrophic consequences.” , Industry Analysis

Parliamentary Committee Recommendations and Industry Outlook

The parliamentary committee issued twelve recommendations to address the crisis. Chief among them is granting the DGCA full administrative and financial autonomy, enabling it to set competitive salaries and recruit talent directly. The committee also called for a national Fatigue Risk Management System for ATCOs, a staffing audit, and the creation of a dedicated ATC board member at the AAI.

Technological upgrades, including AI-driven air traffic management systems, were recommended to reduce controller workload and enhance safety. The committee further urged the government to establish a time-bound mechanism for resolving safety deficiencies and to enforce stricter penalties for non-compliance.

The industry response has been cautious but acknowledges the need for reform. Some experts have even suggested replacing the DGCA with a new regulatory authority if these changes cannot be implemented. The coming months will be critical in determining whether the government acts on these recommendations or risks further erosion of aviation safety standards.

Conclusion

India’s aviation sector stands at a pivotal moment. The combination of rapid growth, severe staffing shortages, and underfunded regulatory agencies presents a clear and present danger to passenger safety. The parliamentary committee’s findings and recommendations offer a detailed blueprint for reform, but their implementation will require strong political will and sustained investment.

As India aspires to become a global aviation powerhouse, the safety of its skies must not be compromised. Addressing the systemic weaknesses identified in this report is essential, not only to prevent future tragedies but also to ensure the sector’s continued growth and international credibility. The next steps taken by policymakers and industry leaders will define the future of Indian aviation.

FAQ

Question: What are the main staffing shortages in India’s aviation sector?
Answer: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is operating with about 50% of its sanctioned staff, while the Airports Authority of India faces a 30% shortfall in air traffic controllers.

Question: How does the staffing crisis affect aviation safety?
Answer: Shortages lead to fatigue among air traffic controllers and regulatory staff, increasing the risk of errors, delayed oversight, and unresolved safety deficiencies.

Question: What steps has the government taken to address these issues?
Answer: The government has announced plans to fill some DGCA vacancies and create additional ATCO posts, but the parliamentary committee urges more comprehensive reforms, including granting DGCA full autonomy and upgrading technology.

Question: How does India’s aviation growth compare internationally?
Answer: India is now the world’s fifth-largest aviation market by passenger volume, but its regulatory capacity and per capita air capacity lag behind mature markets like the U.S. and China.

Sources:

• Reuters
• Livemint
• Hindustan Times
• IATA