The Modi government today faces a crisis not born of opposition attacks, but of its own unwillingness to confront glaring failures in civil aviation oversight. The continuing Indigo fiasco — from its defiance of newly mandated winter norms to the DGCA’s baffling indulgence — has exposed a disturbing pattern: a regulator asleep at the controls, a ministry unwilling to enforce discipline, and a government strangely hesitant to act. Indigo did not just slip; it knowingly ignored the revised norms introduced after last winter’s nationwide aviation chaos. Those norms were crafted precisely to prevent another meltdown. The Parliamentary Standing Committee had categorically warned the DGCA not to permit any expansion of Indigo’s winter schedule or special seasonal flights unless the airline demonstrated full compliance. Yet, the DGCA — which is supposed to be the watchdog — behaved more like a concierge, clearing Indigo’s winter schedule, allowing special flights, and then meekly accepting yet another corporate apology when lakhs of passengers were thrown into inconvenience. This raises the uncomfortable but unavoidable question: who is regulating whom? The DGCA seems increasingly like an agency fearful of the very airline it is mandated to supervise. It failed to enforce norms. It ignored Parliamentary warnings. It permitted winter-season flights for an airline that had not fulfilled basic operational requirements. And when the predictable happened — widespread delays, stranded passengers, chaotic terminals — the DGCA’s response was astonishingly weak. Not a single meaningful penalty. No flight curtailment. No suspension of permissions. Just a symbolic warning letter and acceptance of Indigo’s “regret.” If this is not aviation apathy, what is?
The failures do not stop with the regulator. Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, representing the Modi government’s key NDA ally, the TDP, has appeared powerless throughout the crisis. When the Parliament Committee was strong and clear, why was the Ministry soft and evasive? Why were the revised norms reduced to optional guidelines? Why was the DGCA not held accountable the moment it granted relaxations? A government that takes pride in decisive leadership and zero tolerance for indiscipline cannot escape scrutiny when its own aviation apparatus collapses in full public view. That too under a ministry headed by an ally whose performance the Prime Minister is fully responsible for defending. The situation became even more troubling after the Goa nightclub tragedy, where 29 people lost their lives. Media reports alleged that the club’s owners — the Luthra brothers — managed to fly out of India on an Indigo flight soon after the incident, under the nose of a BJP-ruled state government. If true, this is not merely a lapse; it is a breakdown of law enforcement, border control and administrative responsibility. Two crises — one regulatory, one criminal — both tied to the same airline, both pointing to systemic breakdowns, and both occurring under the watch of a government that promises strict governance. Even more alarming are whispers across aviation circles alleging conflicts of interest within DGCA officials whose close relatives are employed with Indigo. In any other country, such allegations would have triggered immediate probes, suspensions and a full review of regulatory integrity. Here, there is silence. No inquiry, no clarification, no action. The Modi government cannot afford this silence. The country expects action, accountability and enforcement — not apologies and corporate statements. Indigo’s expression of regret cannot erase the misery inflicted on lakhs of passengers. It cannot excuse the disregard for revised norms. It cannot negate the Parliamentary Committee’s explicit warning. It certainly cannot override the DGCA’s duty to protect Indian passengers, not corporate interests. If governance is to mean anything, the Prime Minister must demand answers. DGCA officials who approved the non-compliant winter schedule must be sacked. A full conflict-of-interest probe must be ordered. The civil aviation minister must be held accountable — and if found wanting, replaced. And the Goa episode must be investigated with full transparency. Anything less would signal a dangerous message: that India’s largest airline can flout norms, regulators can look away, ministers can remain silent, and the government will simply move on. That is not strength. That is surrender.
