India meets all international aviation safety standards: FAA

 India’s International Aviation Safety Assessment Category will continue to be published as Category 1

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has received communication from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America stating that India's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) category will remain as Category 1.

From 25th to 29th October 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted an audit of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India under its IASA program. The audit covered areas such as aircraft operations, airworthiness, and personnel licensing. Final consultations were held on 25th-26th April 2022, followed by further review by the FAA in July 2022 and September 2022.

Based on the positive outcomes of the assessment and subsequent follow-ups, the FAA notified the DGCA on 12th April 2023 that India's aviation safety oversight meets the international standards of the Chicago Convention & its Annexes, and that India will maintain its FAA IASA Category 1 status, which was last assessed in July 2018. The FAA commended the DGCA for its commitment to ensuring effective safety oversight of India's aviation system

At a time when the Indian aviation industry is experiencing significant growth and air carriers in India are planning major capacity expansion, India has received a Category 1 determination. This means that air carriers from Category 1 countries are authorized to expand their services to destinations in the USA and codeshare with US air carriers.

In the November 2022 ICAO audit, India's Effective Implementation (EI) score improved significantly from 69.95% to 85.65%, resulting in an enhanced global ranking. The assessments by both ICAO and the FAA serve as a testament to India's dedication to ensuring effective safety oversight for its civil aviation system.

The International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the USA evaluates whether a country's oversight of its air carriers that operate, or intend to operate, into the US or codeshare with a US air carrier meets the safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The IASA program's primary focus is on a country's ability to comply with international aviation Safety Standards and Recommended Practices outlined in Annex 1 (Personnel Licensing), Annex 6 (Operation of Aircraft), and Annex 8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft) to the International Convention on Civil Aviation, also known as the "Chicago Convention."