India’s aviation safety chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai defended the country’s air safety record after June’s Air India crash that killed 270 people, stating India consistently outperforms global safety metrics. Recent incidents including severe turbulence on a Delhi-Srinagar flight and maintenance lapses at SpiceJet have raised concerns, with regulators finding airlines falsified safety records. Kidwai acknowledged increased reporting of technical faults but noted serious issues like premature propeller failures on SpiceJet aircraft requiring management suspensions. India’s aviation market has rapidly expanded, with passenger numbers doubling since 2014-15 and aircraft fleets projected to exceed 2,000 by 2030. Despite the high-profile crash, data showed only marginal short-term traffic declines with Kidwai asserting public anxiety would subside over time.