India all set to permit in-flight Wi-Fi on all civilian flights

For years, air travelers in India have complained about the unavailability of internet connectivity on flights. But those days will soon be behind them.

The Indian government is all set to announce a set of reforms which will let airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on all flights over Indian airspace.

Civilian flights in India will soon offer Wi-Fi services to their passengers, aviation secretary R. N. Choubey said. The home, telecommunications and aviation ministries are also in favor of allowing flights coming in and out of the country to continue their Wi-Fi services without any interruption, he added. Wi-Fi services haven’t been permitted on domestic flights in India out of security concerns. In addition, flights that were crossing India’s airspace were also required to turn off internet services to passengers while they were in Indian airspace, a move that has upset airlines for years. The change of heart comes as Indian agencies devise ways to intercept mid-air calls and data when they need to, Choubey added. The government of India became wary of internet services on planes after the hijacking of an Indian airlines plane on its way to Delhi from Kathmandu on December 24, 1999, according to a senior ministry official.