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Flydubai Incident Spotlights Air Marshals: Does India Deploy Them on Flights?
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News18•01-10-2026, 09:00
Flydubai Incident Spotlights Air Marshals: Does India Deploy Them on Flights?
- •A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced a mid-air emergency, raising questions about in-flight security and the role of air marshals.
- •The flight transmitted emergency signals, made a sharp descent, and diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after an altercation in the flight deck.
- •India operates a Sky Marshal program, deploying specially trained National Security Guard (NSG) commandos in plain clothes on selected domestic and international flights.
- •Sky marshals are discreetly present, with their identities kept secret from passengers, and are trained to handle serious security threats like hijacking.
- •Deployment of sky marshals is focused on sensitive routes, with coverage expanding based on intelligence inputs and recent government plans to increase their numbers.
Key Questions Answered
Yes, India operates a Sky Marshal programme utilizing specially trained National Security Guard (NSG) commandos who travel in plain clothes on selected domestic and international flights.
India's sky marshals are specifically trained NSG commandos rather than regular airline employees.
No, sky marshals are not on every flight; their deployment is focused on sensitive sectors such as routes toward the western side of the country and specific international destinations based on intelligence inputs.
