DGCA identified 377 aircraft with recurring defects since January 2025, Civil Aviation Ministry informs Lok Sabha

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country's aviation watchdog, has identified 377 aircraft with recurring defects since January 2025, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The questions asked by Lok Sabha MPs sought answers on recurring technical or operational deficiencies that may have been identified by the aviation regulator.

“A total of 377 aircraft have been identified for repetitive defects since January 2025 against 754 aircraft from various scheduled airlines,” Mohol said in his written reply.

The DGCA also carried out an extensive range of monitoring activities, including safety audits, inspections and surveillance checks, in the aviation sector in 2025, the minister informed.

As part of the planned monitoring activities during the year, the DGCA carried out 3,890 surveillance inspections and 56 regulatory audits, he said. In addition to this, 84 surveillance checks of foreign aircraft (SOFA) were undertaken, along with 492 ramp checks to ensure compliance with safety and operational standards.

The 377 aircraft that were identified with recurring defects were part of a combined fleet of 754 aircraft operated by various scheduled airlines. Airline-wise details of these findings, as on 3 February, have been provided separately in an annexure, the minister said in his reply.

In addition to the planned activities, the aviation watchdog undertook numerous unplanned surveillance measures. These included 874 spot checks and 550 night surveillance checks, aimed at monitoring airline operations and maintenance practices without prior notice.

DGCA addresses manpower shortage

The MoS also answered a query regarding the shortage of manpower.

“In 2022, the DGCA had 637 sanctioned technical posts. In order to address the shortage of manpower in future, a restructuring has been done, and the number of sanctioned technical posts has been increased to 1,063,” Mohol said in his reply.

The minister also highlighted steps taken to strengthen real-time monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

“The DGCA has issued Surveillance and Enforcement Division Circular No. 1/2025 dated 07 July 2025, mandating the use of the eCA Portal for all surveillance activities, issuance and closure of Deficiency Reporting Form (CA-2001), and enforcement orders, which enables the monitoring and tracking of the entire surveillance and enforcement process on a real-time basis,” the minister said in his reply.

Responding to another question on air connectivity, the minister said, “As per Winter Schedule 2025, no scheduled domestic airline has proposed to operate a scheduled flight to or from Singrauli Airport.”