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Civil Aviation Minister of India K Ram Mohan Naidu introduced the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024 in Lok Sabha on July 31, 2024 aiming to overhaul the 90-year-old Aircraft Act of 1934. The proposed bill seeks to modernise and simplify civil aviation regulations, addressing ambiguities in the existing act and aligning with international standards.
The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak (BVV) 2024 is designed to replace the outdated and obsolete Aircraft Act which was originally established during British Rule and has undergone 21 amendments over the decades. Naidu explained that these incremental changes led to confusion and redundancy within the act. “There’s a lot of grey area and redundancy,” he said, emphasising the need for a principal act to remove these issues and streamline the regulatory framework.
The bill aims to ensure that civil aviation rules are consistent with the International Civil Organisation (ICAO) guidelines enhancing the need to do business and supporting the growth of India’s aviation sector. The bill aims to provide the central government with extended authority to regulate various aspects of aviation, including design, manufacturing and safety. It also includes provisions for investigating accidents, addressing public health concerns related to aviation and managing airport infrastructure.
According to the financial memorandum, the bill will not incur additional costs or require the creation of new bodies. Existing organisations like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Bureau of the Civil Aviation Security will continue to operate under the new framework. The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024 to enhance aircraft design and manufacturing in alignment with the Make in India initiative.
This legislative move coincides with the planned establishment of a new helicopter facility in India by a leading aircraft original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The bill also addresses the vital maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO) industry which is crucial for the aviation sector. India’s MRO market is currently valued between 1 billion USD and 1.7 billion for commercial aircraft and is projected to grow at approximately nine percent annually reaching four billion USD by 2031.
Currently only 15-20 percent of the MRO market is serviced within India and the remaining 80-85 percent is managed overseas. The new bill seeks to establish regulations that will bolster the infrastructure for maintenance, repair and overhaul service aiming to enhance domestic support and foster growth within India’s aviation sector. The introduction of the bill was met with opposition particularly regarding its Hindi nomenclature.
MP NK Premachandran from Kerala questioned the need for changing the title from Aircraft Bill to Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak arguing that the title could create confusion and difficulty for those unfamiliar in Hindi, an Indian news media agency reported. In response, the Naidu has defended the choice of nomenclature stating that the bill text remains in English and the new name is intended to create a distinct identity for India’s aviation sector.
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