India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is amending rules to permit imports of pressurised aircraft up to 20 years old for commercial operations, up from the current 18-year limit, addressing global supply chain disruptions delaying new plane deliveries. For unpressurised aircraft, the cap will rise to 25 years from 20, according to draft Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) shared by a senior official.

The changes apply to scheduled/non-scheduled, charter, general aviation, and other operations. Pressurised aircraft—used in commercial flights like narrow- and wide-body jets—must not exceed 20 years or 65% of their designed economic life based on pressurisation cycles. Unpressurised models, such as trainers limited to low altitudes, will be evaluated case-by-case, requiring at least 50 flight hours in the prior six months, with no imports over 25 years allowed.

This flexibility comes as Indian carriers, with over 1,400 planes on order and more than 800 leased (750 in scheduled ops, 120 in non-scheduled), grapple with leasing shortages. In July, the civil aviation ministry reported 870 leased aircraft in India.

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The move supports India's booming aviation sector, the world's third-largest, where passenger traffic is projected to double to 500 million by 2030. By expanding leasing options, the DGCA aims to bolster fleet growth and operational reliability amid ongoing global challenges.

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