CBI Arrests Corporate Executive in DGCA Drone Bribery Case

India's Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a senior executive of a major corporate group in connection with a drone import bribery case involving the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. A DGCA public servant allegedly demanded undue advantage from private individuals in exchange for issuing approvals and permissions on pending applications filed by a private aerospace company. The mechanism is straightforward: regulatory clearances required for drone imports were allegedly being monetized, with the corporate executive serving as the conduit between the private aerospace company and the DGCA official. The case exposes a pressure point in India's fast-expanding drone sector, where import and operational permits flow through a single regulatory body. Businesses seeking DGCA approvals in aerospace and drone-adjacent segments face heightened scrutiny risk in the near term, and the arrest signals CBI's active posture on aviation-sector corruption. The identity of the aerospace company and the specific approvals sought have not been disclosed in the CBI's statement.