Government Regulation Of The Aviation Industry In India
- IJLLR Journal
- 2 hours ago
- 1 min read
R.D. Vishnupriyan, Vellore Institute of Technology (Chennai)
ABSTRACT
The aviation industry is a vital component of India’s infrastructure, contributing significantly to economic development, connectivity, and national integration. However, given its safety, sensitive and strategic nature, the sector requires comprehensive government regulation. This paper examines the evolution, framework, and impact of government regulation on India’s aviation industry. It begins by tracing the historical developments of aviation laws from the Indian Aircraft Act 1934 to post-liberalization reforms under the Open Sky Policy of 1991. The study analyses the roles of major regulatory bodies including the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and Airports Authority of India (AAI), in ensuring safety, security, and operational efficiency. It further explores the rationale and mechanisms of regulation across key domains—safety and security oversight, economic regulation, consumer protection, and environmental sustainability. The paper highlights how government intervention has been essential in maintaining safety standards, promoting fair competition, safeguarding consumers, and fostering regional connectivity through schemes such as UDAN. At the same time, it identifies major challenges such as regulatory capture, airline insolvencies, infrastructural bottlenecks, and gaps in enforcement and grievance redressal. A comparative analysis with international frameworks like the FAA (U.S.) and EASA (EU) underscores areas where India lags in institutional independence and passenger rights but also where it innovates through developmental regulation. The paper concludes that India’s aviation regulation must continue to evolve through stronger institutional capacity, enhanced transparency, and sustainability-oriented policies to ensure balanced growth and global competitiveness in the aviation sector.
