India’s aviation regulator, DGCA, celebrated a tech-driven milestone Wednesday by launching Electronic Personnel Licenses (EPL) for Airline Transport Pilot Licenses (ATPL) right at its New Delhi base. This move accelerates the shift toward a paperless, efficient licensing ecosystem.
The digital EPL, aligned with global ICAO norms, packs in tamper-proof features for verified authenticity and rapid validation. Available at pilots’ fingertips through the eGCA app, it promises to cut red tape and enhance trust in credential handling.
Expanding from its 2025 EPL rollout for CPL and FRTOL, DGCA’s ATPL service underscores a broader push for transparency and superior service in a booming industry.
Separately, DGCA fined IndiGo Rs 222 million over December 2025 chaos, where 2,507 cancellations and 1,852 delays from December 3-5 stranded 300,000-plus passengers. The fallout questioned the airline’s crisis management.
Penalties comprised Rs 18 million for assorted rule breaks and Rs 204 million from daily Rs 3 million fines across 68 days of flouting revised duty time rules. DGCA’s firm stance reassures stakeholders of prioritized safety and reliability.