Lok Sabha Question No. 933 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-05
Subject: Induction of Wide-body and Narrow-body Aircraft
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Smt. D K Aruna, Shri Shankar Lalwani, Smt. Vijaylakshmi Devi, Shri Yogender Chandolia, Dr. Hemang Joshi, Shri Godam Nagesh, Shri Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathva, Shri Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal, Shri Ananta Nayak, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat, Shri Khagen Murmu, Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre, Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram, Shri Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 933

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  5th February 2026 )

## INDUCTION OF WIDE-BODY AND NARROW-BODY AIRCRAFT

## 933.    SMT VIJAYLAKSHMI DEVI

SHRI MUKESHKUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALA

SHRI JASHUBHAI BHILUBHAI RATHVA

SHRI ANANTA NAYAK

SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA

SHRI TEJASVI SURYA

SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE

DR. HEMANG JOSHI

SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT

SHRI GODAM NAGESH

SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI

SMT D K ARUNA

SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM

SHRI KHAGEN MURMU

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the number of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft inducted into the fleet during the last three years and the routes on which they are presently deployed;
- (b) the manner in which the Government is monitoring challenges related to aircraft availability, on-time performance and route rationalisation during fleet expansion and integration;
- (c)  the  coordination  mechanism  between  the  Directorate  General  of  Civil  Aviation (DGCA) and airlines to ensure compliance with safety standards during the phase of rapid expansion; and
- (d)  the  expected  timeline  for  completing  the  process  of  fleet  harmonisation  and standardisation of services?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION      (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

- (a)  The  number  of  wide-body  and  narrow-body  aircraft  inducted  into  the  fleet  of scheduled airline operators during the last three years is attached as Annexure-l. With the  repeal  of  the  Air  Corporations  Act,  the  Indian  aviation  sector  has  been  fully deregulated, and airlines are free to operate flights and deploy capacity on routes based on their commercial viability and market considerations.
- (b): The DGCA has a robust mechanism in place to monitor the induction of aircraft by airlines, On-Time Performance (OTP) and route rationalisation.;

(c) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has put in place a multi-layered oversight  mechanism  to  ensure  that  safety  standards  are  strictly  complied  with  by airlines, particularly during phases of rapid expansion in fleet size and operations. All expansion activities, including induction of aircraft, increase in flight operations, route expansion and wet/dry leasing, are subject to prior approval by DGCA after detailed scrutiny of safety preparedness. DGCA conducts periodic and special audits, inspections and  surveillance  activities  covering  flight  operations,  airworthiness,  training,  safety management systems (SMS) and maintenance practices. DGCA conduct meetings with airline  management  and  key  post-holders  to  review  operational  performance,  safety indicators,  and  manpower  adequacy  and  compliance  status.  In  case  of  deficiencies, DGCA takes  corrective  and  enforcement  action,  including  issuance  of  show  cause notices,  operational  restrictions  or  suspension  of  approvals  and  financial  penalty,  as necessary.;

- (d): The process of fleet harmonisation and standardisation of services is a commercial decision of individual airline operator based on their business plan and the Ministry and DGCA does not directly interfere in this regard.

*****

## Number of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft inducted

| Year                    |   Wide Body |   Narrow Body |   Total |
|-------------------------|-------------|---------------|---------|
| 2023                    |           8 |           104 |     112 |
| 2024                    |          11 |           129 |     140 |
| 2025                    |           0 |            95 |      95 |
| 2026 (As on 31.01.2026) |          01 |             7 |       8 |

Note: Aircraft  induction  by  the  airline  operators  would  be  accompanied  with  redelivery/export of their existing aircraft in line with expiry of the lease periods. The aircraft  induction  would  therefore  cater  for  increase  in  airline  fleet  as  well  as replacement of existing fleet over the time.