India Meets The International Standards For Aviation Safety Oversight: FAA

US aviation regulator FAA has said that India meets the international standards for aviation safety oversight of the Chicago Convention and its Annexes and continues to retain FAA IASA Category 1 status.

"The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America has communicated to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that India’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) category will continue to be published as Category 1," the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Wednesday (12 April).

US FAA, under its IASA programme, determines whether a country’s oversight of its air carriers that operate, or seek to operate, into the US, or codeshare with a US air carrier, complies with safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

FAA conducted an audit of the Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) from 25 to 29 October 2021 in the areas covering aircraft operations, airworthiness, and personnel licensing.

The IASA assessment was followed by final consultations on 25-26 April 2022 and further review by the FAA in July 2022 and September 2022, according to the ministry.

"Based on the positive outcomes of the assessment and follow-ups, the FAA informed DGCA on 12th April 2023 that India meets the international standards for aviation safety oversight of the Chicago Convention & its Annexes and continues to retain FAA IASA Category 1 status which was the last assessed in July 2018," the ministry said.

India's Category 1 determination has come at a time when the Indian aviation is on a high growth trajectory and air carriers in India have major capacity induction and expansion plans.

"Air carriers of Category 1 countries are permitted to operate/ expand their services to destinations in the USA and codeshare with US air carriers," the ministry said.

India in the recent ICAO audit in November 2022 has scored an Effective Implementation (EI) of 85.65 per cent from the previous EI of 69.95 per cent, thereby enhancing its global ranking significantly.

According to the ministry, the assessment by ICAO as well as FAA is a testimony to India's commitment to having an effective safety oversight for its civil aviation system.