Key facts
- Former civil aviation secretary appointed Air India chairman's advisor
- Air India is owned by the Tata Group since early 2022
- Airline has a 470-aircraft order with Boeing and Airbus
- Vistara merged into Air India in late 2024
Air India has appointed a former Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation as an advisor to its chairman, the Tata Group-owned carrier confirmed. The appointment adds significant institutional knowledge of India's aviation regulatory landscape to Air India's leadership team at a pivotal moment in the airline's ongoing transformation.
Since being acquired by the Tata Group in early 2022, Air India has embarked on one of the most ambitious airline turnarounds in Asian aviation history. The carrier placed a record order for 470 aircraft — comprising Boeing and Airbus jets — and has been integrating AIX Connect and Air Asia India into a consolidated group structure alongside Vistara, which merged into Air India in late 2024.
A former civil aviation secretary brings direct experience with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), airport slot allocation, bilateral air services agreements, and aviation safety regulation — all areas that are critical to Air India's route expansion and fleet induction plans. The advisory role is expected to help the airline engage more effectively with government bodies as it pursues international route rights and navigates India's increasingly competitive domestic market.
The appointment comes as Indian aviation is experiencing a period of rapid growth, with passenger numbers hitting record highs and new carriers entering the market. For Air India, which is simultaneously rebuilding brand trust and operational reliability, strategic regulatory insight at the board level could prove a meaningful advantage.