India’s aviation safety watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)has imposed a ₹1 crore fine on Air India after determining that one of its aircraft was operated without a valid airworthiness certificate — a serious breach of aviation safety norms.
The ruling stems from an incident in November 2025when an Airbus A320 aircraftregistered VT-TQN, was flown on eight commercial flights between key Indian cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad without a current Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC). The ARC is an essential yearly safety clearance that validates an aircraft’s airworthiness after detailed maintenance and compliance checks.
According to the DGCA’s confidential order dated February 5, 2026the lapse constituted a violation of India’s Aircraft Rules and was a grave oversight by the airline’s operational leadership. The regulator noted that such non-compliance “further eroded public confidence” in the carrier’s safety systems and highlighted weaknesses in its compliance culture.
In addition to the monetary penalty, the DGCA has directed the removal of some engineering post holders within Air India who were deemed responsible for the breach. The regulator also held the airline’s accountable manager — typically tied to senior leadership — responsible for ensuring compliance with safety mandates.
Air India has acknowledged receipt of the DGCA’s order and said that it had voluntarily reported the incident to the regulator when it was first identified in 2025. The airline said all identified gaps in its processes have since been addressed and shared with the DGCA. Internal investigations reportedly found systemic failures and pointed to an urgent need to strengthen procedural compliance across the organisation.
This regulatory action comes at a time when Air India — co-owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines — is under intense scrutiny to bolster safety and rebuild passenger trust following a tragic crash of one of its Boeing aircraft in 2025 that claimed hundreds of lives. The latest fine underscores the DGCA’s commitment to enforcing stringent safety standards and holding airlines accountable for lapses that could jeopardise passenger safety.
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