Fragile Skies

India's aviation industry has soared into the global elite, now ranking as the world's third-largest aviation market – a remarkable feat.

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Yet, the recent air crash – a tragedy that claimed 260 lives in Ahmedabad on June 12 – casts a long shadow over this achievement. In its wake, a parliamentary review has sounded alarms over a more silent but deeply corrosive threat: the dwindling capacity of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), now functioning with almost half of its sanctioned positions unfilled. Out of 1,063 posts, only 553 are occupied.

That means nearly 50 per cent of critical roles – responsible for oversight, compliance, and safety – remain vacant. This is not merely a bureaucratic glitch; it's a fundamental breakdown in the architecture meant to safeguard our skies. Even as aviation flourishes, the watchdog wears thin, precariously close to being ineffective.