Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu today inaugurated the Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder Laboratory—popularly known as the Black Box Lab—at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), housed at Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi. This state-of-the-art facility, developed at an investment of ?9 crore, marks a significant leap in India’s aviation safety and investigation capabilities.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior dignitaries from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, Indian Air Force, BCAS, AAI, AERA, and flight safety heads from major airlines across India.

Enhancing Aviation Safety Standards Highlighting the importance of the facility, Shri Naidu remarked that the lab would significantly strengthen India’s investigative infrastructure, helping identify root causes of aviation incidents and enhancing accountability. "Effective and independent investigations are the foundation for preventing future accidents,” the Minister emphasised.

He lauded the role of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in aiding the establishment of the lab and hailed India’s growing self-reliance in avionics, noting HAL’s capability to manufacture and repair flight data recorders domestically.

Meeting Global Standards The new facility enables AAIB to repair damaged black boxes, extract and decode data, and conduct comprehensive accident analyses. Equipped to correlate data from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), and Radar, the lab brings India on par with global aviation safety benchmarks, fulfilling the country’s obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

A Step Towards Regional and Global Leadership AAIB Director General Shri G V G Yugandhar noted that the lab would also assist neighbouring countries in aviation investigations, reinforcing India’s commitment to regional aviation safety. He further emphasised its role in accident prevention through inputs for design modifications and updated operating procedures, especially as India scales up manufacturing of aircraft and helicopters.

With India targeting 350–400 airports by 2047, the Ministry reiterated its dedication to ensuring that safety infrastructure expands in lockstep with sectoral growth. This Black Box Lab is a pivotal asset in realising the vision of a safe, modern, and globally competitive Indian aviation ecosystem