On airworthiness: UN's ICAO rated India above global average, US aviation regulator gave Category 1 status

India is the third-largest domestic aviation market after the US and China, and is also the fastest-growing major aviation market globally. India is the third-largest domestic aviation market after the US and China, and is also the fastest-growing major aviation market globally. India was rated well above the global average in terms of its operations and airworthiness by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) when the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was last audited in November 2022, with the overall Effective Implementation score being raised to 85.65 per cent from 69.95 per cent in 2018, indicating an improvement in the country’s aviation safety ranking.

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The Effective Implementation score of the ICAO, an agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating and establishing standards for civil aviation globally, includes various categories such as legislation, organisation, licensing, operations, airworthiness, accident investigation, air navigation services, and aerodromes. As per the last audit, India scored higher than the global average in each of the eight categories that are covered under ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).

The assessment of major agencies assumes importance as investigations begin into the crash of Air India’s Al-171 on Thursday in Ahmedabad that led to the death of 241 persons aboard the plan in what is the deadliest aviation accident in more than a decade. The accident also led to casualties on the ground as the plane crashed into a medical college building in the vicinity of the Ahmedabad airport.