Govt notifies revised rules for dangerous goods carriage in aircraft

Mumbai/New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) The civil aviation ministry has notified the revised rules for the carriage of dangerous goods in aircraft that provides for a certification-driven and accountability-based regime for handling of such goods.

Putting in place a stricter reporting framework, the rules spell out the detailed procedures for reporting about undeclared or mis-declared dangerous goods. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has powers to order investigations for lapses related to handling of dangerous goods.

The Aircraft (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) Rules, 2026 were notified on February 17 after stakeholder consultations.

Dangerous goods refer to articles or substances which are capable of posing a hazard to health, safety, property or the environment.

The 2003 rules pertaining to the dangerous goods carriage were framed under the earlier Aircraft Act and functioned largely as operational compliance regulations aligned with ICAO standards, according to a senior industry executive.

The executive told PTI that the latest rules shifts the overall approach from a compliance-oriented framework to a certification-driven and accountability-based regime with defined oversight cycles, formal approvals and structured enforcement powers.

Among other aspects, Indian operators require certification from the DGCA to carry the dangerous goods. Also, foreign carriers have to get prior DGCA nod to carry dangerous goods to and from India.

"No shipper or his agent shall offer any package or overpack of dangerous goods for transport by air unless he has ensured that such dangerous goods are not forbidden for transport by air and are properly identified, classified, packed, marked and labelled in accordance with the requirements specified in the technical instructions," as per the rules. PTI IAS RAM TRB TRB