The investigation report into the fatal crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft last year will be released “very soon”, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu told the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Responding to supplementary queries during Question Hour, Naidu said the probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was progressing rapidly and the ministry was providing all necessary support to the agency conducting the inquiry.
“Regarding the AI171 crash that happened in June last year, the investigation is going at a very good pace, and all the resources that are required for AAIB, the primary agency which is looking into the investigation, the ministry is providing.
“And I would say that very soon, within the completion of the year, the report should be out,” the minister said.
Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off on June 12, 2025. The accident claimed 260 lives, including 241 people onboard the aircraft, making it one of the worst aviation disasters in India in recent years.
Naidu also addressed concerns regarding aviation safety and flight operations amid the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has led to airspace disruptions across West Asia.
He said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had immediately engaged with airlines and issued advisories to ensure that flight operations remained safe.
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“… You can say that they (DGCA officials) have had multiple meetings with them (airline executives) so that they can only operate when they ensure that 100 per cent safety is there when they are operating to these airports in West Asia,” Naidu said.
The minister added that travel advisories had been issued to passengers to avoid confusion as airlines adjust operations in response to changing airspace restrictions.
Naidu said the government was also working with airlines to facilitate the return of Indians affected by the ongoing conflict in the region.
“From the Ministry side, I can tell the house that whatever best we can do in terms of having safe operations and making people travel from those destinations back to India, we can do with the help of the airlines. They (airlines) have also been very considerate,” he said.
According to the minister, nearly 90,000 passengers had travelled to India over the past week despite disruptions caused by the crisis.
Looking ahead, Naidu outlined the government’s long-term vision for the civil aviation sector as part of India’s development goals for 2047. He said the country plans to significantly expand airport infrastructure over the next two decades.
“Our plan for the future is that in the next 5 years, we want to have 50 more airports, and in the next 20 years, we want to have another 200 more airports. So our overall tally of airports reaches up to 350,” he said.
The minister also highlighted measures undertaken by the DGCA to strengthen aviation safety oversight, including digital monitoring systems such as the “track by tail” programme to digitally track aircraft compliance and inspections.
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