Finally, after 5 decades of nation's existence, Indian government has removed the restrictions on clicking pictures at the airports and from the airborne aircraft. It always pained me while flying to not be able to click the wonderful landscape. A while back, I was arranging for the aerial photoraphy for a friend of mine in Goa. And we were told by the charter companies to do it in a hush-hush manner, because if we did it openly, we would have needed permission from the DGCA!
Anyways, its about time such arcane and archaic laws were removed! I sure am glad to see this... You can also look at the official orders at DGCA site. The orders are reproduced here. AIC 7 of 2004 Order No 9/12/2003-IR -- Permission of photography inside an aircraft No. 9/12/2003-IR New Delhi, dated the 9th December, 2004 In exercise of the powers conferred by rule 13 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the Director General of Civil Aviation hereby permits bonafide passengers traveling in an aircraft engaged in scheduled air transport services to take photographs from inside such an aircraft while in flight and while landing, take off and on ground at civil aerodromes. This permission is, however, not applicable when such aircraft is landing, taking off or on ground at a defence erodrome.
Photography at terminal building in civil aerodromes GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION New Delhi, Dated the 25th August, 2003 ORDER S.O. 967 (E) -- In exercise of the powers conferred by proviso to rule 13 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the Director General of Civil Aviation hereby directs that the restrictions on photography at aerodromes as specified in rule 13 of the said rules shall not apply in the terminal building of the civil aerodromes. (F.No. 9/12/2003-IR)