A Critical Analysis of AI Governance and Algorithmic Accountability in Indian Aviation through the Lens of Autonomous Decision-Making and Regulatory Innovation

This paper argues that Indian aviation is moving toward data-intensive and partially autonomous decision environments faster than its legal architecture is evolving, creating a governance gap between operational innovation and normative accountability. While India has sectoral aviation regulators, cybersecurity guidance, and an emerging cross-sector responsible AI and data protection discourse, these frameworks do not yet form a unified accountability regime for aviation algorithms that affect safety, security, passenger processing, and oversight. The central claim is that Indian aviation regulation remains institutionally aware of AI-enabled transformation, yet it still relies largely on fragmented instruments designed for safety management, security compliance, and general digital governance rather than for explainable, reviewable, and contestable autonomous decision-making.