TransportationIMPROVEStarted
India-wide
DGCA asked airlines to conduct one-time drug screening of all pilots by July 2027
10 Sept 2026
India’s civil aviation regulator DGCA has asked airlines to carry out a one-time drug screening of all pilots by July 2027, following an AAIB interim report on an Aug 4 Air India A320 incident that flagged a pilot’s positive confirmatory drug test as a serious concern. Bloomberg reported that testing has already started at airlines and that DGCA is expected to formally announce the directive.
Why it matters
A system-wide screening directive can expand oversight of pilot fitness and potentially reduce safety risks linked to psychoactive substance use in commercial aviation.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)