Archive · 25 Sep 2026
FAA to Audit India’s DGCA Against International Safety Standards
The United States aviation regulator plans to check India’s aviation regulator in November 2026.
This check will see whether India is following important international safety rules.
India currently has the FAA’s highest safety category, called Category 1.
India received its last FAA assessment in 2021.
The FAA regularly checks countries whose airlines fly to the United States or work with US airlines.
India’s regulator also recently checked several Indian airlines.
That review found some problems, and the airlines were asked to respond quickly.
The FAA has not said whether its new review will discuss the Air India AI171 crash.
The US Federal Aviation Administration will audit India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation in November 2026.
The assessment will examine whether India’s aviation regulator meets minimum International Civil Aviation Organization safety standards.
India currently holds Category 1 status under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment programme, following its last assessment in 2021.
The FAA did not say whether the audit will address the Air India AI171 crash investigation.
The DGCA completed an August safety audit of Indian carriers and found adverse issues requiring airline responses.
- Who
- The US Federal Aviation Administration will assess India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
- What
- The FAA will conduct an International Aviation Safety Assessment of India’s civil aviation regulator.
- When
- The audit is scheduled for November 2026; the FAA last assessed India in 2021.
- Where
- The assessment concerns India’s civil aviation oversight and its airlines’ operations involving the United States.
- Why
- The FAA routinely assesses aviation authorities to determine whether they meet minimum International Civil Aviation Organization safety standards.
- Assessing authority
- US Federal Aviation Administration
- Indian authority
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation
- Assessment programme
- International Aviation Safety Assessment
- Scheduled audit
- November 2026
- India’s current status
- Category 1
- Previous FAA assessment
- 2021
- Recent DGCA action
- Completed an August 2026 safety audit of Indian carriers, which identified adverse findings