A DEFINING MOMENT FOR AVIATION SAFETY IN INDIA

Why the Ahmedabad Air India 787 crash must be a turning point for aviation safety in India

- SWAATI KETKAR

THE TRAGIC CRASH OF AN AIR INDIA BOEING 787 DREAMLINER in Ahmedabad has sent shockwaves through India's aviation ecosystem. As investigations begin, now bolstered by the arrival of a US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team to assist the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) the need for introspection is more urgent than ever. Speculations are rife as to what caused the crash. However, this is not merely a case of technical failure or an isolated oversight. It is a warning siren for an industry that is expanding rapidly, but perhaps without fully fortifying the safety infrastructure required to sustain such growth.

It must catalyse a national reckoning on one fundamental truth: aviation safety cannot be compromised, delayed, or deprioritised, not in policy, not in practice, and certainly not in the pursuit of commercial growth.

SAFETY MUST BE MORE THAN A BUZZWORD

India is today the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. With increasing aircraft orders, new entrants in the LCC space, and record-breaking passenger numbers, the sector is undoubtedly on an upward trajectory. But this upward curve also magnifies every gap in safety oversight, airworthiness enforcement, and operational discipline.

The Boeing 787 is one of the most advanced commercial aircraft in operation, boasting fly-by-wire systems, composite structures, and state-of-the-art avionics. That such a technologically superior aircraft could be involved in a catastrophic accident in domestic operations raises profound concerns.

It compels us to ask difficult questions:

• Was there a lapse in maintenance or pre-flight inspection protocols?

• Were known defects overlooked or underreported?

• Was crew fatigue a factor?

• Are reporting systems strong enough for ground staff and engineers to voice concerns?