Govt Pulls Up DGCA Over Conflict-of-Interest Lapses

The documents show that the ministry raised concerns that undisclosed family connections could create the potential for regulatory influence or weaken enforcement actions. One case involved a DGCA official whose sister secured employment with Air India, with the ministry rejecting the regulator's argument that she did not fall within the definition of a dependent family member.

A January 2026 document noted that 51 DGCA officials had disclosed 59 relatives working across the aviation sector, including at Air India, IndiGo, Airbus India and other aviation entities, an increase from the previous year. The ministry has stressed that transparency and timely disclosures are essential to maintaining public confidence in aviation safety oversight.

The developments come amid heightened scrutiny of India's aviation safety framework following recent safety concerns and increased attention on regulatory oversight. The ministry, DGCA and the companies named in the documents did not immediately comment on the matter.