Parliamentary Data Exposes Widespread Technical Issues in Indian Aviation
A startling parliamentary report has revealed that more than seven out of every ten aircraft within the Air India Group fleet suffer from recurring technical defects. The data, presented to India's Lok Sabha by Civil Aviation Minister Murlidhar Mohol, details inspections conducted since January of last year and paints a concerning picture of maintenance standards across the nation's airlines.
Alarming Fleet-Wide Deficiencies Uncovered
Inspectors identified repetitive technical problems in 191 of the 267 aircraft operated by Air India Group, which encompasses both the main flag carrier and Air India Express. This represents the highest proportion of defective aircraft among all airlines reviewed in the comprehensive audit. The findings were based on surveillance and audit inspections carried out by India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which specifically logged aircraft with "repetitive deficiencies."
The scale of the issue extends far beyond Air India alone. From a total of 754 aircraft inspected across six major Indian airlines, 377 were flagged for having recurring technical problems—approximately half of all commercial planes examined. India's largest carrier, IndiGo, had 405 aircraft scrutinized, with inspectors finding repetitive defects in 148 of them as of February 3rd this year. Budget airline SpiceJet recorded 16 affected aircraft out of 43 analyzed, while newer entrant Akasa Air reported 14 planes flagged from 32 reviewed.
Airline Responses and Safety Classifications
In response to the parliamentary disclosure, an Air India official told NDTV that the carrier had "out of abundant caution, carried out checks across our fleet" which resulted in higher defect numbers. The executive emphasized that most identified issues fell under lower-priority Category D items, including "seats, tray tables, screens (on the back of seats), and so on" rather than systems critical to flight safety. "These are not related to the safety of the aircraft," the official stated, adding that a planned retrofit programme for narrow-body aircraft over the next two years would address many of the identified deficiencies.
The Independent has reached out to Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air for further comment on the parliamentary findings and their maintenance protocols.
Regulatory Oversight and Capacity Expansion
The ministry's presentation also outlined the extensive oversight activities conducted by the DGCA during the previous year. Regulators performed 3,890 surveillance inspections, 56 regulatory audits, 84 checks on foreign aircraft, and 492 ramp inspections as part of planned monitoring programmes. Additionally, they carried out 874 spot checks and 550 night surveillance inspections under unplanned oversight measures, demonstrating comprehensive regulatory scrutiny.
In a significant development, the government informed parliament that it has substantially expanded technical staffing within the DGCA following a restructuring exercise designed to strengthen regulatory capacity. The number of technical officer roles has increased from 637 in 2022 to 1,063 positions, reflecting enhanced oversight capabilities.
Context of Heightened Aviation Scrutiny
The parliamentary disclosure arrives during a period of intensified scrutiny within India's aviation sector, which has faced multiple high-profile safety and operational challenges in recent months. In June 2025, an Air India Boeing 787 crashed after take-off from Ahmedabad, resulting in 241 fatalities among the 242 people on board plus 19 deaths on the ground. In December 2025, IndiGo cancelled nearly 4,500 flights over a ten-day period after failing to adjust to revised crew duty rules, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.
Earlier this week, additional concerns emerged when a pilot reported a potential fuel control switch defect on an Air India Boeing 787 operating from London to Bengaluru. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has since requested detailed explanations and maintenance records from the airline after the aircraft continued operations despite the reported anomaly, highlighting ongoing international regulatory attention.
