Aviation Sector Yearns For Momentum, But Bureaucracy Demands Continuity

The government has set an ambitious target for its civil aviation sector: Build more airports, expand regional connectivity, turn the country into an aircraft maintenance hub, and modernise air cargo. While the exercise would need rebooting, the acute manpower shortage is making matters worse. 

As per a report by the Rajya Sabha Standing Committee on Transport (2025), acute manpower instability persists at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). While 879 posts (as of 2025) are vacant (53.8%) in the DGCA against a sanctioned strength of 1,633, a total of 208 posts (34.8%) remain vacant in the BCAS (against a sanctioned strength of 598 posts).

Manpower Crunch

The manpower shortage within AAI, which is central to infrastructure development across the civil aviation sector, is even more glaring: a total of 3,265 posts (as of 2025) remain vacant (about 17%) against a sanctioned strength of 19,269.

The Committee had warned that understaffing would affect regulatory oversight, airport expansion, aviation security, and operational efficiency.

“AAI, managing critical airport infrastructure and air traffic services, has over 3,200 vacancies, representing nearly 17 percent of its sanctioned strength, potentially impacting operational efficiency and airport expansion. The Committee is deeply concerned that chronic understaffing in these institutions could undermine safety, security, and service delivery standards, particularly as air traffic volumes continue to rise,” the Committee had noted in the report.

But the challenges go beyond manpower shortage: the core teams rarely remain intact even after appointments are made due to frequent reshuffles in the bureaucracy. “Akin to other countries that have established themselves as global aviation hubs, the Indian civil aviation sector needs a bureaucracy with stable core team members so that high-stakes projects are taken up and completed in its entirety,” an official said.

Need For Close Coordination

Speaking to The Secretariat on the issue, Dr. Vandana Singh, Chairperson, Aviation Cargo, Federation of Aviation Industry in India (FAII), underscored, “Aviation projects are inherently long-term, requiring close coordination among multiple ministries, regulators, airport operators, airlines, and private stakeholders. Frequent administrative transitions can slow decision-making, disrupt collaboration, and delay the execution of strategic initiatives.” Pointing out the need for a strategic shift, Singh noted, “A structured approach to knowledge transfer and greater continuity in key leadership positions can help sustain momentum without compromising governance.”

Officials in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, as well as agencies such as customs and aviation security, are frequently transferred. Every reshuffle means a new officer takes charge, spends months understanding the issue, builds fresh relationships with stakeholders, and often sets new priorities. By then, another transfer may be around the corner.

The consequence is not that policies stop. It is that they slow down. Decisions requiring coordination across multiple agencies take longer than expected, and long-term initiatives lose momentum before they are completed.

A structured approach to knowledge transfer and greater continuity in key leadership positions can help sustain momentum without compromising governance

- Dr. Vandana Singh, Chairperson, Aviation Cargo, Federation of Aviation Industry in India (FAII)

According to a report recently released by Grant Thornton, “delayed aircraft deliveries, higher maintenance expenses, elevated lease rentals and tighter financing conditions are testing airlines' ability to scale efficiently.”

Can enhanced coordination and greater bureaucratic continuity provide the much-needed institutional stability?

Digital Integration

This is particularly concerning for initiatives involving digital integration, a senior official points out. Most often, the bureaucracy fails to pass the baton, he says, highlighting the need for continuity in the bureaucracy to maintain the momentum for high-stakes projects and policy reforms.

The implementation of India's National Air Cargo Policy reflects the challenges in the sector. Unveiled in 2019, the policy aimed to transform the sector through infrastructural upgrades and better connectivity. However, its implementation ran into several bottlenecks, with cargo operators citing delays in approvals due to complexities in coordination between agencies, including Customs (CBIC), AAI, and BCAS. 

Implementation Challenges

Another instance is the implementation of 2D barcodes in passenger tickets to streamline digital travel verification. Though the BCAS has mandated the implementation of 2D barcodes on passenger air tickets and boarding passes across all Indian airports, its implementation has remained largely uneven, officials point out. “The project is still in the implementation phase in some privately operated airports,” an official said.

This, officials, attribute to “shortcomings in the bureaucracy”, as the responsibility of project implementation ultimately rests with the bureaucracy.

Officials believe that consistency in bureaucracy would significantly improve project implementation as it enhances coordination among various agencies. It could be argued that this is a common phenomenon across Ministries. But for a sector aiming high with long-term projects for rapid airport expansion and interconnectivity, among others, continuity in bureaucracy is indispensable.

In the Ministry of Civil Aviation itself, over a span of about 11 years (from 2015 to 2026), six Secretaries have been appointed, with the average tenure spanning about 22 months. Around the same period, the DGCA has had four heads, with an average tenure of about 33 months.

In the case of deputies or other officials, the average tenure is even lower. 

The Global Picture

Aviation experts often point to Singapore, where long-term bureaucratic continuity has enabled projects such as Changi Airport's phased expansion and cargo digitisation to progress steadily despite changes in government leadership. The development of Incheon International Airport, South Korea, is also often cited as an example of sustained bureaucratic coordination. 

“As India works towards becoming a global aviation hub, policy consistency must be complemented by execution consistency. Stable institutional frameworks, coupled with a long-term vision, will be instrumental in ensuring that infrastructure development, digital transformation, safety oversight, and sustainability initiatives are delivered efficiently and create lasting value for the aviation ecosystem,” Singh highlighted. 

The government has chalked out a clear roadmap for the civil aviation sector. For officials, the concern is no longer about announcing new policies, but sustaining the momentum to ensure their implementation. Continuity in bureaucracy, as observed from global aviation hubs, becomes integral for the road ahead for the sector.