An employee takes a customer’s order at a Starbucks’ outlet at a market in New Delhi, India, May 30, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

India’s Tata Consumer Products will push back plans for some new Starbucks store openings until later in its existing schedule as fewer customers are walking into its cafes in the world’s most populous country, its top boss said on Monday (December 16, 2024).

“We will calibrate for the short term — maybe instead of opening 100, we will open 80 now, and next year we will open 120 instead of 100,” Tata Consumer CEO Sunil D’Souza told Reuters, adding that Tata Starbucks is still focused on reaching its 2028 goal to operate 1,000 stores by 2028.

City dwellers in India are cutting spending on everything from cookies and coffee to fast food as persistently high inflation squeezes middle class budgets, with wages failing to keep pace.

Tata Starbucks, a joint venture between U.S. coffee brand Starbucks and the Indian conglomerate, operates the largest cafe chain in the country with more than 450 outlets.

Its store numbers had more than doubled from four years ago by the last financial year, but Mr. D’Souza said a lack of quality locations is a roadblock.

“In India, good quality real estate with traffic… is a challenge,” he said, contrasting that to the “massive development of malls” in China, Starbucks’ second largest market and the second most populous country after India.

Tata Starbucks has beefed up its dedicated team to plan for store openings, keeping an eye out for upcoming real estate development and shortlisting locations ahead of time.

Sales at Tata Starbucks rose 12% to ₹12.18 billion ($143.6 million) in the last financial year, while its net loss widened to ₹800 million from ₹250 million. In the first half of this year, revenue rose only marginally.

According to business insights provider Tofler, in the last financial year Tata Starbucks revenue had more than doubled compared to four years ago.

Tata Consumer’s CEO still expects its bet on coffee to pay off in the longer run as the country’s coffee culture grows and with cafe density still low compared with other Asian countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Separately, Mr. D’Souza said Tata Consumer’s revenue would increase in the double-digit percentage range in the second half of the financial year, with profit coming under pressure due to higher prices of raw materials, including tea.

Tata Consumer declined to share specific figures. Four analysts polled by LSEG on average expect revenue to climb nearly 16% in the second half.

Earlier this year, Yum Brands franchisee Sapphire Foods India also said it would be “extra cautious” about opening more Pizza Hut stores this financial year.

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

An Indian government agency charged with promoting renewable energy has changed the way it issues power tenders to reduce the risk of corruption after U.S. allegations of bribery in some tenders, said an official with direct knowledge of the matter.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) earns commission for linking renewable energy producers with buyers. It was an intermediary in solar power deals involving Adani Group and several states where U.S. authorities have said bribes were paid to unidentified officials between 2021 and 2022.

Gautam Adani indictment: In-depth coverage

The ports-to-power Adani Group has denied the allegations, calling them baseless.

U.S. authorities have not accused SECI of any wrongdoing.

SECI, which selects renewable energy producers for projects through bids and then signs deals with power buyers, said last month it had “no basis so far” to investigate the allegations and that it was “not clear if any of SECI’s covenants have been violated”.

About 75% of SECI’s new bids for renewable power will now be based on specific demand from states instead of the earlier practice of mainly seeking power suppliers first through tenders and then approaching buyers, said the SECI official, who did not want to be named, citing the sensitivity of the matter.

A spokesperson for SECI did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours on Monday.

The official said the earlier practice, which used to account for about 90% of the bids, had raised the risk of corruption by power producers seeking to influence buyers in states to sign up to deals even if they did not need the power. The official did not name any companies or give any examples.

The source said SECI had not found any reason to independently investigate any deals it had been part of and that no agency within India or outside had reached out to it.

The allegations against the Adani Group, nevertheless, could temporarily cut foreign investments in India’s renewable sector, said the source, adding that SECI expected tendering to slow down for the rest of the fiscal year that ends on March 31.

Also Read | The return of the Adani solar beam 

SECI’s target for this fiscal year was to find bidders for 15 gigawatts (GW) of power, but it has managed only about 6-7 GW so far.

India is still more than 10% short of its pledge to add 175 GW of renewable power by 2022. It wants to reach 500 GW by 2030.

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The U.S. fraud case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani appears to be backed by documents that will help prosecutors make a strong case, legal experts said, but the tycoon is unlikely to be extradited to stand trial anytime soon.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn last month unsealed an indictment accusing Mr. Adani of bribing Indian officials to convince them to buy electricity produced by Adani Green Energy, a subsidiary of his Adani Group conglomerate, and then misleading U.S. investors by providing reassuring information about the company’s anti-corruption practices.

Gautam Adani indictment: In-depth coverage

Mr. Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and another Adani Group executive were charged with securities fraud and conspiracy. Five people affiliated with Azure Power Global, a formerly-U.S.-listed company also allegedly involved, were charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

Azure has said it had cooperated with the investigation and that those charged were no longer with the company. Adani Group has called the allegations “baseless” and vowed to seek “all possible legal recourse.”

Gautam Adani is not in custody. He has made at least two public appearances in India since the indictment, including at a Dec. 9 event also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the indictment, prosecutors found ledgers of the alleged payments on Sagar Adani’s cellular phone, which they called “bribe notes.” Prosecutors also said Gautam Adani emailed himself a copy of a search warrant and grand jury subpoena the FBI had served on his nephew on March 17, 2023.

Those electronic records could be important pieces of evidence for prosecutors to try to prove that Sagar Adani and Gautam Adani knew they misled investors by failing to disclose the investigation and insisting they had strong anti-corruption practices when in fact they had paid bribes, experts said.

“The allegations include references to corroborating material, and that always provides for a stronger case,” said Stephen Reynolds, a former federal prosecutor and current partner at law firm Day Pitney.

To be sure, prosecutors may face challenges. Gautam Adani could argue that he was not personally involved in crafting the statements the company made to investors about its anti-bribery practices, said Paul Tuchmann, a former federal prosecutor in Brooklyn and now a partner at law firm Wiggin & Dana.

Prosecutors may also struggle to secure live testimony from witnesses in India because the process could require assistance from New Delhi, and the government may be reluctant to facilitate testimony that could paint Indian officials in an unfavorable light, said Mark Cohen, a former federal prosecutor in Brooklyn and current partner at law firm Cohen & Gresser.

India’s Foreign Ministry on Friday referred to a Nov. 29 statement in which it said it had not received any request on the case from Washington, and called the case a matter between private firms and the U.S. Justice Department.

The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment on whether the United States had asked India to extradite Gautam Adani.

‘PLAY BY THE RULES’

Both Adani Group and Mr. Adani himself have recently made public statements emphasizing that the conglomerate’s executives had not been charged with violating the FCPA.

Conspiracy to violate the FCPA is punishable by up to five years behind bars. The fraud charges Gautam Adani and the other Adani Group defendants face are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Drew Rolle, the deputy chief of the business and securities fraud section at the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s office, said his office had a responsibility to protect the integrity of U.S. capital markets.

Also Read | The return of the Adani solar beam 

The office has secured a number of convictions in foreign bribery cases with U.S. connections. In August, jurors found Mozambique’s former finance minister guilty on fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges for embezzling loan proceeds he had told banks were destined for economic development projects.

Rolle said honest companies are harmed when firms like Mr. Adani’s allegedly mislead investors.

“It’s not only a bribery case, it’s an important securities enforcement case,” he said at a Dec. 6 conference in New York hosted by the Practicing Law Institute. “If you’re going to access our capital markets, you’re going to play by the rules.”

Reliance NU Suntech won the 930 MW solar energy contract with battery energy storage system project (BESS) from SECI. Photo: X/@reliancepower

Reliance Power Limited said its subsidiary Reliance NU Suntech Private Limited (Reliance NU Suntech) has received the Letter of Award from Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for its proposed Solar 930 MW and 465 MW/1860 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects. 

“The project will see the largest deployment of grid storage batteries at a single site, not only in India but also in Asia, besides China,” the company said in a statement. 

“The competitive tariff with assured supply of peak power for four hours in a day will be a welcome relief for DISCOMs that have had to consistently buy power from the power exchanges during peak hours at the cap of ₹10 per unit,” the company added. 

Reliance NU Suntech won the 930 MW solar energy contract with battery energy storage system project (BESS) from Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in an e-reverse auction held on December 9, 2024. 

“As per the terms of the tender, Reliance NU Suntech will also install a minimum storage capacity of 465 MW/1,860 MWh charged by solar power,” it said. Reliance NU Suntech will develop the project on a build-own-operate basis.

Representational image only. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

“A 10-year plan can transform India’s bamboo sector and help bridge the gap with China,” market leader, the Foundation for MSME Clusters (FMC) said. 

“India, with 13.96 million hectares of bamboo cultivation, is the second-largest bamboo producer in the world. Yet, its contribution to the global bamboo market stands at a modest 3-4%, starkly overshadowed by China’s dominance at 65%,” said Mukesh Gulati, Executive Director, Foundation for MSME Clusters (FMC) in a note. 

“This glaring disparity underscores the need for a concerted effort to unlock India’s untapped potential and elevate the bamboo sector to rival global leaders,” he said.

Stating that China’s success story is built on a long-term vision supported by systematic implementation, he said the foundation of its bamboo industry is private plantations that ensure a steady supply of high-quality raw material. Integrated value chains further amplify China’s efficiency — waste from one process becomes the raw material for another. 

“Despite having a larger area under bamboo cultivation than China, India has not capitalised on its potential due to systemic challenges,” he emphasised. 

Three States namely Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura are leading the charge in reviving India’s bamboo sector. 

While Maharashtra’s Atal Bamboo Samruddhi Yojna promotes private and public bamboo cultivation, supporting rural entrepreneurs, and fostering market linkages for sustainable growth, Madhya Pradesh is integrating bamboo cultivation with employment schemes such as MGNREGA, empowering self-help groups to manage plantations.

And Tripura has combined traditional knowledge with modern techniques to develop export-oriented clusters for housing and furniture production.

“These efforts demonstrate how strategic interventions can drive value addition, generate employment, and enhance the bamboo industry’s economic impact,” Mr. Gulati said.

Emphasising that FMC’s 10-Year Plan provides a blueprint to elevate India’s bamboo sector, he said the economic value of bamboo can be increased from ₹12,507 crore to ₹52,246 crores creating more than 20 lakh jobs.

The 10 year plan includes Scientific Cultivation to enhance productivity to 40 tonnes per acre annually, prioritising engineered bamboo, biomass fuel and other value-added products and promoting eco-friendly practices and public-private partnerships to ensure long-term growth.

“A critical element for success lies in breaking silos between Ministries and Departments. While the National Bamboo Mission is currently led by the Ministry of Agriculture, effective implementation requires coordination with industries, rural development authorities and export councils,” Mr. Gulati said.

“Without this collaboration, the bamboo sector’s growth will remain fragmented and limited,” he added. “By expanding these efforts nationally and implementing a cohesive strategy such as the 10-Year Plan, India can position itself as a global leader in sustainable bamboo products,” FMC said .

The approach from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) on September 15, 2021 came out of the blue. The federal agency, tasked with developing the solar sector, wanted to know if Andhra Pradesh would like to sign India’s largest renewables contract.

Two years earlier, Andhra Pradesh’s energy regulator had said in a 10-year forecast the State had no short-term need for solar power, and should focus on other renewables that could provide 24-hour energy.

Also read | A ‘bribery scheme’ to bag lucrative solar power contracts

But just a day after SECI approached the State government, the 26-member State Cabinet led by then-Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy gave the deal its preliminary approval, according to Cabinet records seen by Reuters.

While SECI’s September 15 letter did not name the energy supplier, it was publicly known at the time that the federal agency had only contracted with two suppliers, the larger of which was controlled by billionaire Gautam Adani, according to past statements from the two companies.

By November 11, the State government had secured the nod from the energy regulator. On December 1, State authorities signed a procurement agreement with SECI for the deal, which could eventually be worth over $490 million annually.

As much as 97% of that will go to Adani Green, the renewables unit of the billionaire’s Adani Group conglomerate, according to documents related to the agreement, reviewed by Reuters.

The news agency spoke to a former State power regulator and an energy legal expert who said the 57 days between SECI’s approach to the State government and regulatory approval from the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) for the 7,000 megawatt deal was unusually fast, although timeframes for such deals can vary.

The solar deal is now under scrutiny by U.S. prosecutors, who indicted Mr. Adani and seven other executives in November for alleged involvement in a bribery and securities fraud scheme involving several Indian States and one territory.

U.S. prosecutors allege that $228 million was offered to an unnamed Andhra Pradesh official by the defendants to direct the State’s electricity distribution companies to purchase the solar power supplied to SECI by Adani Green.

Reuters reviewed 19 State government documents, many of them previously unreported, and interviewed more than two dozen State and federal officials about the deal, as well as independent energy and legal professionals. Most of the people spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Together they provide a picture of how political leaders overruled advice from finance and energy officials in order to approve the massive Adani deal. Some officials have publicly described the contract as likely to strain the State’s coffers, potentially leaving taxpayers on the hook for thousands of megawatts of energy that Andhra Pradesh does not need.

Adani Green did not respond to Reuters’ questions about the alleged corruption nor the speed of the approval process. Adani Group has previously called the allegations “baseless”.

SECI told Reuters in a statement it was up to States and their regulators to decide how much power to purchase. It declined to answer other questions.

The office of Mr. Reddy, who was not named in the U.S. indictment and lost power in an election this year, referred Reuters to a November 28 statement in which he denied being bribed and justified the deal on grounds it provided free power to farmers. Mr. Reddy’s office declined to answer other questions.

APERC, which regulates the State’s power sector and was responsible for due diligence on the deal, did not respond to repeated requests for comment on its processes and the U.S. allegations.

The current State government also did not respond to requests for comment.

Due diligence

For most of September 15, 2021 then-Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy was unaware of any potential solar deal, he told Reuters.

But late that night, he received a call from a person in his office, whom he did not identify, about a proposal that required his signature for discussion in Cabinet the next day, said Mr. Srinivasa Reddy, who joined a rival party this year.

“Never before” had he been so rushed to approve files, he said, and he was not given “details or time to study the matter”.

Mr. Srinivasa Reddy said he signed off after being assured by a senior official at his department, whom he also did not identify, that the contracting party was SECI. He said he had “no idea the supplier was Adani”.

Srikant Nagulapalli, who declined to comment, was then the top civil servant in Mr. Srinivasa Reddy’s department. Reuters could not establish if Mr. Srinivasa Reddy consulted him or if he provided assurances about the deal.

The next day, Cabinet approved the deal “in principle,” according to minutes from the Cabinet meeting, allowing the regulatory process to be fast-tracked.

On October 21, the Andhra Pradesh Power Coordination Committee (APPCC) — which had been tasked with studying the deal after the preliminary approval — filed a report recommending the deal.

The committee was established by the State government to coordinate between State-owned distribution companies; its members include the State’s top energy official and company executives.

Seven days later, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet officially committed to procuring 7,000 megawatts from SECI.

In doing so, it overrode advice from officials at the finance and energy departments that the contract did not represent good value.

On October 28 — the same day as the Cabinet meeting that approved the deal but before the greenlight was given — the finance department made a submission to the Cabinet stating there was an industry trend of falling solar prices and that future agreements would likely be cheaper, according to Cabinet minutes.

It said Andhra Pradesh had leverage because the government was the buyer, offering the supplier security that a default would be unlikely.

The treasury also questioned the duration of the 25-year contract, especially since supply was scheduled to start only in 2024, according to the minutes. The treasury said it believed costs could continue to fall in the period between agreeing the contract and power being supplied.

The energy department endorsed the treasury’s advice.

The records of the Cabinet deliberations do not document any discussion about the finance and energy departments’ concerns beyond a statement in the minutes that the Cabinet was “duly overruling the finance remark”.

Andhra Pradesh will pay ₹2.49 per kilowatt-hour when the solar power comes online, according to the agreement.

An Adani Green spokesperson told Reuters that supply would be delayed beyond 2024, citing delays in “grid availability”.

However, an analysis released by the office of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu — who ousted Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government in elections this year — found the State would likely have to pay more, because the contract did not account for certain taxes and duties that are typically included in such calculations.

A State official familiar with the matter said Andhra Pradesh is likely to pay as much as 23% over the price it agreed in the Adani contract once the taxes and duties are included.

Andhra Pradesh is now seeking to suspend the deal due to the indictment of Gautam Adani. A decision could come by year-end, an official told Reuters.

If the Adani deal goes ahead, the State treasury will be directly on the hook for solar bills running hundreds of millions of dollars annually, according to Reuters’ review of contract documents. Annual payments to Mr. Adani once the power supply is fully operational will be roughly equal to State spending on social security and nutrition programs for the previous fiscal year.

08

यह न सिर्फ कमर्शियल हिट रही, बल्कि 55वें नेशनल फिल्म अवॉर्ड्स में तीन नेशनल अवॉर्ड्स भी जीते: बेस्ट फैमिली वेलफेयर फिल्म, बेस्ट लिरिक्स (‘मां’ के लिए प्रसून जोशी) और बेस्ट मेल प्लेबैक सिंगर. फिल्म को इसकी कहानी, स्क्रीनप्ले, निर्देशन, डायलॉग्स, म्यूजिक और परफॉर्मेंस के लिए खूब सराहा गया था.

To minimise the burden on electricity grids and promote energy conservation, a District Cooling System (DCS) is being strongly considered as an alternative environment-friendly cooling solution, according to an analysis by the State Planning Commission (SPC).

The panel’s report said DCS could help Tamil Nadu sustainably manage water through effective reuse, lowering heat island effects, providing sustainable cooling for all, and reducing emissions from power plants.

DCS is a centralised cooling system that distributes chilled water to multiple buildings through a network of underground insulated pipes. These buildings use chilled water for air conditioning or industrial process cooling.

SPC Vice-Chairman J. Jeyaranjan said that while cooling was essential for human comfort and health, industrial process, and food preservation, higher electricity demand could boost greenhouse gas emissions. “The challenge is to develop efficient cooling technologies that minimise the burden on electricity grids and promote energy conservation. District cooling is being strongly considered as an alternative environment-friendly cooling solution, as it integrates other supply-side technologies and systems to optimise resource use and reduce energy consumption and associated emissions,” he said.

The report, titled, ‘Opportunities for District Cooling Systems in Tamil Nadu’, provides recommendations on how the State government could implement this model. It also outlines the relevant departments and agencies that could support the implementation.

Tamil Nadu could start by developing public DCS in State-owned facilities such as government buildings, hospitals, or educational campuses in Chennai or Coimbatore, which require substantial cooling loads. Private companies could be encouraged to develop DCS in high-demand private real estate clusters, such as Special Economic Zones, IT parks or large commercial complexes on Chennai’s Old Mahabalipuram Road or Coimbatore’s TIDEL Park, or at the new developments happening in cities such as Thoothukudi and Madurai, it said.

Tamil Nadu could adopt a District Cooling Policy that sets clear standards for private developers, including tariff regulations, performance benchmarks, and energy efficiency goals. The government could offer tax incentives, streamlined land acquisition processes and other measures to attract investment. Tangedco or municipal corporations such as the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority could own and manage these systems. This would allow the State to maintain low tariffs, support public infrastructure, and integrate cooling systems into overall energy management. District cooling providers such as Tabreed, ENGIE or Danfoss may directly finance or co-finance DCS as part of their service delivery model, it said.

These projects could be funded through State Budgets, subsidies from the Central government under the Smart Cities Mission, or international funding through organisations such as the United Nations Environment Programme or the Asian Development Bank, which support green infrastructure projects. Another recommendation was establishing a State Cooling Regulation Body to oversee private cooling providers and ensure fair pricing and service quality while maintaining environmental sustainability.

On the challenges and threats, the SPC said uncertainties in energy prices could impact the economic viability of DCS when compared to traditional AC units. The upfront cost of installing a DCS could be high, potentially discouraging adoption. Lack of awareness on the benefits of DCS and technical expertise may hinder implementation, it said.

Image used for representation purpose only.
| Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan

Bharti Airtel has become the first private telecom operator to launch mobile services in around seven border villages of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the company said on Wednesday (December 18, 2024).

Under the Vibrant Village Programme, Airtel has connected villages such as Kachhal, Balbir, Razdan Pass, Taya Top, Ustad, Kathi, and Cheema to the rest of the country.

“These villages are located in the Keran, Machhal, Tangdhar, Gurez, and Uri valley regions, spanning the three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipore. Airtel is the only private telecom operator providing its services in these regions,” Bharti Airtel said in a statement.

The company has deployed 15 mobile towers in this area, which will benefit the local population and will also offer essential communication connections for soldiers stationed along the Line of Control.

“Bharti Airtel has partnered with the Indian Army to bring connectivity to villages in Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore districts along the Line of Control in North Kashmir,” the company said in a statement.

Airtel has collaborated with the Indian Army to improve network services and enhance connectivity in remote areas of military bases.

Recently, the company has successfully established connectivity in the Galwan River region and Daulat Beg Oldie (BDO), which is recognised as India’s northernmost military outpost.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on several occasions has said that all nooks and corners of the country will get telecom connectivity by June 2025.

Airlines have also stalled another key suggestion of raising weekly rest for pilots from 36 hours to 48 hours. File (representational image)
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

In a letter to the DGCA, IndiGo and Air India Group have opposed the regulator’s proposal to reduce night flying for pilots known to contribute to fatigue. While IndiGo has rejected the suggestion altogether as it will have a “severe operational impact”, Air India said that it could be implemented only after the regulator introduces an advanced data-based fatigue management system.

Airlines have also stalled another key suggestion of raising weekly rest for pilots from 36 hours to 48 hours. While IndiGo has said it could implement this in a staggered manner between June 2025 and after July 2026, Air India Group has said it could implement this from June 2025. These recommendations were part of the DGCA’s revised norms governing rest and duty hours for pilots notified by the regulator in January 2024 which were to be implemented from June 1. But these were put on hold on March 26 following stiff opposition from airlines. Subsequently, in April, the regulator asked airlines to inform the timeline for implementation they were comfortable with. The airlines have submitted their replies nine months later.

IndiGo has shunned the DGCA’s suggestion to raise the definition of night flying from all flying between midnight to 5am by an hour to include flying till 6am in a letter from IndiGo Chief Operating Officer, Isidro Porequras, to the DGCA on December 4. The Hindu has reviewed a copy of this letter.

“We propose retaining the current definition of night flying,” the official has written.

Expanding the definition of night flying would essentially bring down night flying for pilots as airlines are not permitted to assign more than two consecutive nights of night duties in a week.

Both Air India and Air India Express have informed that they can implement the new definition of night flying only after the DGCA implements Fatigue Risk Management System. The responses by both these airlines were also submitted on December 4 and have been reviewed by The Hindu.

The UN’s aviation watchdog International Civil Aviation Organisation defines an FRMS as “a data-driven means of continuously monitoring and managing fatigue-related safety risks, based on scientific principles and knowledge as well as operational experience that aims to ensure relevant personnel are performing at adequate levels of alertness.”

Digging its heels in on the issue of night flying, IndiGo has further said that the proposal to restrict the number of landings to only two during night flying could be implemented only after October 2026, and only if the flying hours fully encompassed the midnight to 5am period. This implies that if flying started or ended any time in between, say at 2am or 3am, IndiGo would assign more landings. Pilots explain that it is during take-offs and landings that most accidents happen and these are the most stressful phases of a flight because an aircraft’s proximity to land require quick decision making and there is higher workload because of changes in aircraft configuration, which is worsened by conditions like air traffic and inclement weather.

Further, IndiGo too has said that all its proposals are based on the premise that the DGCA will implement FRMS.

SpiceJet said it wanted the new rules to be implemented only by March 2026, as it would be required to hire 25% more pilots. It also requested the regulator to waive the proposals during monsoon and fog.

“We must remember that UN aviation watchdog International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annexe 6 recommends FRMS only for markets with mature aviation safety system. Otherwise, countries have to implement prescriptive norms. In its last audit of aviation safety standards of DGCA, the ICAO in its ratings said that India didn’t achieve its State Safety Programme (SSP) Foundation,” explained aviation safety expert Captain Amit Singh who is also a pilot for a foreign carrier and runs an NGO called Safety Matters Foundation. SSP Foundation refers to a set of activities that help countries build a solid safety oversight foundation.

He also explains what makes night flying strenuous for crew.

“The body repairs itself during a period of 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. when a person is sleeping. But if the person is awake that repair is not happening, since it disturbs the circadian rhythm. This results in fatigue which builds up over a period of 3 to 4 days leading to accumulated fatigue along with impaired cognitive function. To overcome this, the European aviation regulator recommends two days and two nights of rest twice a month whereas Indian regulations only provide for 36 hours of rest per week,” Captain Singh explains.