India's AAIB Lab Decodes Black Boxes Locally: A Major Milestone in Aviation Safety

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Lab in New Delhi is making strides in aviation safety by analyzing data from the black boxes of Air India Flight AI-171, which crashed in Ahmedabad. The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that a vital memory module was accessed on June 25, 2025, after using a 'golden chassis' for data recovery confirmation.

The investigation, led by the AAIB, includes significant collaboration with experts from the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), ensuring a rigorous examination. The NTSB team, alongside officials from Boeing and GE, are currently working in Delhi, adhering to ICAO regulations for transparent and timely investigations.

Historically, India outsourced black box decoding to international centers; however, developments under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative have enabled the country to undertake this process locally. This marks a pivotal milestone in India's aviation safety journey, as the nation demonstrates its capability to handle intricate air crash investigations independently.

(With inputs from agencies.)