New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Saturday announced that the Indian government has ordered extended surveillance of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet following the Air India AI-171 crash that claimed over 270 lives.

Speaking at a press briefing, the minister stated, “We have very strict safety standards in the country. When this incident happened, we felt there was a need to initiate extended surveillance into the Boeing 787 series.”

He confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has formally directed full-scale safety inspections of all Boeing 787 aircraft currently operating in India. “There are 34 aircraft in the Indian fleet today. Eight of them have already been inspected, and the remaining will be checked with immediate urgency,” he added.

The decision follows the fatal crash of Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, which crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, killing almost everyone on board and several on the ground.

Naidu clarified that these inspections are precautionary and part of a larger review of aviation safety protocols. He also mentioned the formation of a high-level committee to probe the incident and recommend improvements to current standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The minister reiterated that India’s aviation sector remains committed to safety, and urged the public and stakeholders to support the ongoing investigation being led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

Further updates are expected as inspections progress and the black box data from AI-171 is decoded.