India’s aviation regulator is pushing for financial and staffing autonomy similar to counterparts in Europe, the UK and US, as it seeks to strengthen oversight and keep pace with the demands of a booming air travel sector.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation , or DGCA, wants authority to independently recruit and offer competitive salaries to attract qualified professionals, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified citing rules. It is also seeking increased funding to support regular training program for its staff, they said.

Currently, the Indian regulator operates with limited manpower resources and funding that’s a fraction of what its global peers receive.

As of July, the DGCA had filled only 553 of 1,063 technical posts and employed 4,295 air traf

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