Oct 13: Aviation In Crisis, Personality Rights In Spotlight

Today, we honour the life and legacy of Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress who passed away day before yesterday, at the age of 79. From iconic roles in Annie Hall and The Godfather, to being a fashion trailblazer, she captivated audiences wherever she went. RIP legend, the afterlife just gained an iconic performer.

Now, let’s get into the Dispatch! 🚀

Today’s reading time is 6 mins.

Booming Market, Emerging Strains: India’s aviation market, valued at USD 14.47 billion in 2024 and projected to reach USD 40.81 billion by 2033, has seen rapid growth fueled by rising incomes, increased domestic and international travel, and expanding regional connectivity. Budget airlines, government support, and infrastructure development have further bolstered the sector. Yet beneath this optimistic outlook, systemic weaknesses are emerging, signaling that the industry is struggling to keep pace with its ambitions.

Training Lapses And Regulatory Gaps: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently fined IndiGo Airlines ₹40 lakh for conducting pilot training on non-approved simulators at critical airports, including Calicut, Leh, and Kathmandu. Around 1,700 pilots received training on Full Flight Simulators (FFS) not certified for these Category C airports, which demand specialized training due to challenging terrain and weather. DGCA inspections revealed 20 such simulators across facilities in Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Gurugram, and Hyderabad. Despite warnings and show-cause notices, compliance remained inadequate, exposing regulatory enforcement gaps and raising questions about pilot preparedness.

Technical Failures And Safety Concerns: Between 2020 and 2025, 65 in-flight engine shutdowns and 11 Mayday distress calls were reported, illustrating persistent technical and operational challenges. Causes ranged from fuel contamination and turbine malfunctions to blocked filters and electronic failures. Most emergencies were managed successfully by pilots using the remaining operational engine, yet the frequency of these incidents indicates systemic weaknesses. Experts note that such failures indicate lapses in maintenance and regulatory oversight, even as pilots demonstrate commendable skill in handling emergencies.

The Human Factor: Pilots face intense pressure from long duty hours, fatigue, and regulatory fines, compounded by a shortage of trained personnel. Those who remain manage exhausting rosters with minimal support, exposing cracks in training pipelines, simulator availability, and adherence to Flight Duty Time Limits. New pilots often remain grounded, while experienced captains leave for better-paying international opportunities. Crew exhaustion directly affects operational safety, leaving the sector vulnerable despite technological advancements.

Profit Over Safety: With IndiGo and Air India controlling over 70% of the market, competition is shrinking, regional connectivity suffers, and price-collusion risks grow. Ageing fleets, costly dry leases, and maintenance compromises, sometimes forcing engineers to sign off on unfixed defects, suggest that cost-cutting often supersedes safety priorities.

Infrastructure And Policy Bottlenecks: Metro airports are overcrowded, UDAN regional schemes remain patchy, and many routes are financially unviable. Privatization has sidelined state agencies in airport management, while high aviation turbine fuel taxes and inter-state price disparities strain smaller carriers. The result has been insolvencies, mergers, and market consolidation, further limiting competition.

Final Cut: India’s aviation boom masks turbulence beneath the surface. Rapid growth, coupled with technical failures, Mayday incidents, regulatory gaps, pilot shortages, and infrastructure constraints, raises urgent concerns about passenger safety. Without urgent reforms in oversight, training, and infrastructure, the sector risks being weighed down by ambition and fractured oversight.

Celebrities Fight Back: In recent weeks, a spate of high-profile cases in the Delhi High Court - led by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and followed by Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, and Kumar Sanu - has spotlighted the growing importance of personality rights in India. Celebrities increasingly face misuse of their names, images, voices, and likenesses on merchandise, dubious websites, and AI-generated content. The harm is not just commercial but also reputational and personal.

What Are Personality Rights? Personality or publicity rights allow individuals - especially public figures - to control the commercial use of their identity. Unlike copyrights or trademarks, which protect creative works or brands, these rights safeguard the person themselves, giving them authority over how their image, voice, or persona is exploited. With AI and digital content booming, courts are being asked to define and enforce these protections more frequently.

Legal Framework In India: India lacks a dedicated statute for personality rights. Instead, courts have built protection on two pillars: the constitutional right to privacy and the tort of ‘passing off.’ This evolving framework adapts to each case, especially in response to technological developments like deepfakes and digital impersonations. Courts consider both commercial and reputational damage. Unauthorized use of a celebrity’s likeness to make money constitutes commercial harm. Reputational harm, often seen with deepfakes or fake endorsements, misleads the public and erodes trust. Experts describe misuse as a “brand-identity crisis,” where a carefully built persona loses its unique value.

Trade Gap Widens Amid Gold Imports Surge: India’s merchandise trade deficit is set to rise to $28 billion in September 2025, up from $26.5 billion in August, largely due to a near doubling of gold imports during the festive and wedding season. Record-high gold prices have not dampened demand. Delays in the US-India trade deal, affecting a key export market, also weigh on exports. The deficit may stay high due to continued gold, energy, and electronics imports, though US trade negotiations could improve future export prospects.

Super.money, Juspay Join Forces For D2C Push: Flipkart’s fintech arm, Super.money, has partnered with Juspay to launch a direct-to-consumer (D2C) checkout service. This move aims to establish Super.money's identity beyond Flipkart, targeting $100 million in annual revenue by 2026. The collaboration comes at a time when Juspay faces pressure from major players like PhonePe and Razorpay, who are encouraging merchants to adopt direct integrations instead of third-party orchestration platforms.

Norway Commits $100B to India Under TEPA: Norway is promoting investments in India under the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with EFTA nations. Norwegian Trade Minister Jan Christian Vestre pledged $100 billion over 15 years to generate one million jobs, targeting renewable energy, life sciences, engineering, and digital sectors. A dedicated India-EFTA Desk will facilitate joint ventures and investments, while mutual recognition of professional qualifications aims to boost skilled workforce mobility between the regions.

Cement Firms Set For Strong Q2: Indian cement companies are expected to post strong Q2 FY26 earnings, supported by higher volumes and improved pricing. While monsoon season and reduced GST rates may temper quarterly performance, year-on-year growth remains robust. Analysts foresee a recovery in H2 FY26 driven by infrastructure demand and a low base effect. JK Cement stands out as a preferred pick due to operational efficiency and strategic positioning.

India’s Beer Industry Pushes For Can Import Relief: Facing a shortage of 500 ml aluminium cans (that account for 20% of beer sales), the Brewers Association of India has urged the government to relax Quality Control Order norms. Domestic production limits and strict BIS certification rules risk a ₹1,300 crore revenue loss. BAI seeks an extension for certification and temporary import approvals to ease supply pressures.

Modi Launches Schemes To Boost Farm Self-Reliance: Prime Minister Modi unveiled two major agricultural initiatives totaling ₹35,440 crore: the PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (₹24,000 crore) to improve productivity, irrigation, and credit in 100 districts, and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (₹11,440 crore) to increase pulse production and strengthen the value chain. Both schemes start from the upcoming rabi season and will run until 2030-31.

NITI Aayog Projects 4 Million AI-Driven Jobs by 2030: NITI Aayog estimates that artificial intelligence could generate around 4 million jobs in India by 2030, spanning both direct and indirect employment. Key sectors expected to benefit include healthcare, education, agriculture, and IT services, with roles in AI development, maintenance, and oversight. Experts caution that while AI will create opportunities, reskilling and upskilling of the workforce are critical to ensure readiness for these emerging roles.