The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is scheduled to conduct a comprehensive safety audit of India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) from November 16 to 20. This assessment is pivotal in determining India's continued certification as a Category 1 aviation safety country, a status that permits Indian airlines to operate freely in the US market and establish codeshare agreements with American carriers.
The upcoming review comes after a challenging period for India’s aviation sector, which experienced several safety setbacks in 2025, including a fatal crash involving Air India and recurring maintenance issues across major domestic airlines. In preparation, the DGCA has completed final inspections of all Indian carriers and addressed nearly 200 queries from US authorities to demonstrate its safety oversight capabilities.
Despite recent improvements—highlighted by a rise in India’s ICAO effective implementation score to over 85 percent—the sector's safety performance remains under scrutiny. The assessment aims to verify whether India can sustain international aviation standards amid ongoing sector growth and capacity expansion. The outcome holds significant implications for Indian airlines such as Air India and IndiGo, which rely on their Category 1 status to maintain their presence and expansion plans in the US.
