Flagging serious gaps in India’s helicopter safety framework, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged PM Narendra Modi to order an immediate safety review of all commercial helicopter operators in Uttarakhand and constitute a national committee to examine operations across the country, warning that recurring crashes in the Himalayas call for structural reforms rather than restrictions imposed after every tragedy.In a letter to the Prime Minister on Monday, following the October 30 crash near Hathi Parvat in Joshimath, Chamoli, FIP president Capt CS Randhawa said the accident involving a helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, which killed Captain Himanshu Sabharwal, the pilot, and five passengers, had once again exposed the risks of flying in difficult terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions.“The purpose of an accident investigation must be to establish what happened, why it happened and how recurrence can be prevented, rather than merely to assign responsibility after the event,” Captain Randhawa said, calling for a comprehensive review of helicopter operations, enhanced regulatory oversight and a national safety framework. The FIP pointed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture’s 380th report of August 2025, which flagged four helicopter accidents during the Char Dham Yatra that year.The report questioned the division of responsibilities between the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, which manages the services, and the DGCA, whose role was described as primarily that of a licensing authority rather than one involving continuous supervision. The committee flagged the absence of mandatory, terrain-specific mountain-flying training and certification for pilots and described the existing arrangement as a “responsibility vacuum”.The FIP raised specific concerns over helicopter operations in the Kedarnath sector, where flying takes place in narrow, steep valleys.