In a bold move to elevate India’s aviation safety standards, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a Comprehensive Special Audit under General Safety Circular 01 of 2025. The initiative aims to deliver a 360-degree assessment of the country’s aviation ecosystem, transitioning from a silo-based oversight model to a risk-informed, performance-driven regulatory framework.
According to the DGCA, the new audit model is grounded in global best practices, drawing from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), and India’s National Aviation Safety Plan. The primary focus will be on identifying systemic vulnerabilities, improving compliance, and boosting resilience across all operational domains of Indian aviation.
Unlike routine safety checks, these special audits will apply across a broad range of stakeholders. These include:
- Scheduled, non-scheduled, and private air operators
- Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) organisations
- Approved Training Organisations (ATOs)
- Flying Training Organisations (FTOs)
- Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs)
- Aerodrome operators and Ground Handling Agencies (GHAs)
- Technology vendors, emergency response systems, and supply chain networks
Multidisciplinary audit teams, headed by senior DGCA officials and domain experts, will conduct in-depth assessments involving document reviews, site inspections, staff interviews, and data trend analysis. Findings will be classified by severity, with rectification deadlines ranging from 7 to 90 days. Entities must submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) within 15 days of the audit conclusion, or face escalating enforcement actions including warnings, fines, or even license suspensions.
The audit process is structured in three key phases:
- Pre-Audit Phase (5–7 days): Risk profiling, intelligence gathering, stakeholder consultation, and audit plan development.
- On-Site Audit Phase (3–5 days): Opening meetings, document verification, inspections, staff interviews, and daily debriefs.
- Post-Audit Phase (10–15 days): Finding validation, severity classification, final report compilation, and publication.
DGCA has also clarified that audits can be incident-triggered or proactively scheduled, including annual ecosystem-wide reviews. The agency has pledged adherence to transparency, confidentiality, and due process, including mechanisms for appeal and review.
With the framework already in immediate effect, DGCA aims to not just meet international safety benchmarks, but set them, aligning India’s aviation safety practices with global excellence. The initiative is positioned as a key step in building a resilient, accountable, and future-ready aviation ecosystem for the country.