The new Bharatiya Vayuyan Niyam, 2026, rules to regulate the country’s rapidly expanding civil aviation sector will kick in on January 1, 2027, replacing the decades-old Aircraft Rules, 1937.

Among the notable provisions in the new rules is a more defined framework for aircraft design and certification, including acceptance of designs and authorisation for component manufacture, strengthening India’s position as a State of Design, according to an official explainer issued on Wednesday.

The rules also cover fractional ownership, allowing an aircraft to be jointly owned while placing its operation and maintenance under clearly identified responsibility. Together with the Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Act, 2025, which implements the Cape Town Convention framework in India for aircraft leasing, the Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA) mechanism provides a time-bound process for deregistration and facilitates export of eligible aircraft. Over time, this may help reduce the cost of aircraft acquisition and leasing costs and ease pressure on airfares.

The Rules seek to strike a balance between the commercial flexibility of airlines, ease of doing business, and the protection of passenger interests. They strengthen passenger-centric safeguards by promoting greater transparency in airfares and associated charges, while enabling the Central government to take appropriate measures in extraordinary circumstances.

The Bharatiya Vayuyan Niyam, 2026 comprises 220 rules organised into eight chapters and six schedules. These cover aircraft registration, airworthiness, personnel licensing, aerodrome operations, air navigation services, and aircraft operations. They further lay down requirements for regulatory oversight, safety management, enforcement, and penalties.

Covering civil aviation from aircraft design and crew licensing to airports and daily flight operations, they provide for the design and certification of aircraft and aeronautical products, including those designed in India, alongside requirements for manufacturing, airworthiness and maintenance.

Regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), may issue type certificates for aircraft, engines and propellers where India is the State of design. It may also validate or accept foreign type certificates, subject to prescribed conditions.

The DGCA may also issue directives when an unsafe condition exists and is likely to affect other products of the same type design. Draft directives are generally published on the DGCA website for 30 days to invite objections and suggestions, subject to specified exceptions.

The provisions also cover certificates of airworthiness, special certificates of airworthiness and airworthiness review certificates. Aircraft inspections, periodic overhauls, modifications, repairs and maintenance certification are also under the purview.

The rules specify 23 categories of licences, ratings and certificates. They prescribe qualifications, medical fitness, training, experience and competency requirements for aviation personnel. The key provisions cover four personnel groups, including pilots and flight engineers. Licensing requirements for student, private, commercial and airline transport pilots, along with flight engineers and flight navigators and flying experience, examinations and competency assessments have been included in the ambit of the rules.