FAA keeps India’s aviation safety rating at category 1

MUMBAI: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has retained India’s aviation safety rating at Category 1, a spokesman at India’s aviation regulator said on Tuesday.

FAA had conducted an audit of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in July — the third since 2013 — to confirm India’s adherence to standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and oversight of Indian airlines.

It had raised questions on guidance and training materials used.

This was after the ICAO, a UN body, gave it a low safety score after an audit in November 2017, placing it below Nepal, Pakistan and other nations.

“FAA has formally communicated that India is adhering to the safety standards of ICAO and has confirmed India’s International Aviation Safety Assessment rating remains Category 1,” the DGCA spokesman said.