New Delhi, March 30 The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Monday said that 99 aircraft were grounded this year until March 25 due to technical defects and maintenance delays.
"Aircraft grounded due to technical defects or maintenance delays were reported as 356 in 2023, 414 in 2024, 567 in 2025, and 99 in 2026 (as of March 25, 2026)," said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol in the Rajya Sabha.
In a written reply, he also stated that there was "no overall shortage of pilots or crew in the Indian aviation sector."
However, he added that there is a shortage of experienced commanders on certain aircraft types, which is being managed by employing foreign pilots under the Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA) scheme.
Meanwhile, in a separate written reply, the minister said that Indian airlines are incurring significant revenue losses due to the Middle East crisis.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued multiple advisories to address and ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft arising from the risks associated with the Middle East conflict.
"These advisories provide operational guidance on affected airspace, including NOTAM, identification of high-risk areas, FIR boundaries, and impacted countries, enabling operators to plan safe routing after conducting comprehensive Safety Risk Assessments," the minister said.
While the DGCA is closely monitoring the operations, Indian Missions in the West Asian region have been closely coordinating with host governments to facilitate the return of stranded Indian nationals.
"As informed by Indian carriers including IndiGo and Air India, Indian carriers are incurring significant revenue losses due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East," Mohol said.