Why is India considering conducting dope tests on all commercial pilots?
After a pilot of an Air India flight tested positive for drugs, the Centre is mulling testing all pilots randomly.
- Aug 25, 2026,
- Updated Aug 25, 2026 6:12 PM IST
After a pilot of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight, which experienced a sudden loss of altitude injuring several passengers, tested positive for drugs, the Centre is mulling mandatory drug testing for all airline pilots, said Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
Currently, only 10% of pilots undergo drug testing. The ministry said that if implemented, India would be the first country in the world to introduce it.
India currently employs more than 11,000 pilots, while the overall number of pilots is estimated at around 25,000.
“At present, the dope test rule is 10%, and we want every pilot to go through it at a random time. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is assessing the impact of expanding the requirement to cover all airline pilots. The move would have to balance aviation safety with its operational impact on airlines,” Naidu said on the sidelines of an event.
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Under the existing Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), scheduled commercial aircraft operators and air navigation service providers must conduct random drug testing of flight crew members and air traffic controllers.
The substances covered include amphetamine and amphetamine-type stimulants, opiates and metabolites, cannabis in the form of THC, cocaine, barbiturates and benzodiazepines. A non-negative screening result requires the employee to be immediately removed from safety-sensitive duties until the confirmatory report is received.
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After the August 4 incident, Air India is conducting drug tests on their pilots. The pilot of the flight tested positive in the preliminary screening result for psychoactive substances, although the confirmatory result has not been officially confirmed.
After a pilot of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight, which experienced a sudden loss of altitude injuring several passengers, tested positive for drugs, the Centre is mulling mandatory drug testing for all airline pilots, said Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
Currently, only 10% of pilots undergo drug testing. The ministry said that if implemented, India would be the first country in the world to introduce it.
India currently employs more than 11,000 pilots, while the overall number of pilots is estimated at around 25,000.
“At present, the dope test rule is 10%, and we want every pilot to go through it at a random time. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is assessing the impact of expanding the requirement to cover all airline pilots. The move would have to balance aviation safety with its operational impact on airlines,” Naidu said on the sidelines of an event.
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Under the existing Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), scheduled commercial aircraft operators and air navigation service providers must conduct random drug testing of flight crew members and air traffic controllers.
The substances covered include amphetamine and amphetamine-type stimulants, opiates and metabolites, cannabis in the form of THC, cocaine, barbiturates and benzodiazepines. A non-negative screening result requires the employee to be immediately removed from safety-sensitive duties until the confirmatory report is received.
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After the August 4 incident, Air India is conducting drug tests on their pilots. The pilot of the flight tested positive in the preliminary screening result for psychoactive substances, although the confirmatory result has not been officially confirmed.