VVIP helicopter protocols

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday, March 27, 2026, issued a sweeping new regulatory framework for non-scheduled VVIP flights, significantly tightening safety standards across India. The move comes as a direct response to the tragic Baramati helicopter crash on January 28, which claimed the life of then Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Under the new guidelines, the ambit of "top-tier VVIPs" has been expanded to explicitly include the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Chief Justice of India, Union Cabinet Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, and Z+ category SPG protectees. The regulator's order identifies "political pressure"…