India’s aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has imposed a ₹1 crore penalty on Air India after discovering that one of its Airbus A320 aircraft operated eight commercial flights without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC). The certificate is a mandatory safety clearance confirming that an aircraft meets operational and maintenance standards before flying passengers.

The incident occurred over two days in November 2025, when the aircraft flew between major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad despite the expired permit. Regulators stated that the lapse represented a serious breach of aviation safety norms and had “eroded public confidence” in airline compliance systems. Investigations revealed systemic failures within internal monitoring processes, along with procedural lapses by responsible officials and flight crews.

Air India acknowledged the regulatory order and said it had voluntarily reported the issue earlier, adding that corrective measures and compliance improvements have since been implemented. The airline has been directed to deposit the fine within 30 days.

The episode highlights growing regulatory scrutiny in India’s aviation sector, where safety culture, operational discipline and transparent reporting are increasingly central to rebuilding passenger trust.