Three Italian nationals travelled from Delhi to Munich without completing mandatory immigration clearance, prompting the Ministry of Civil Aviation to issue a show-cause notice to Air India.

The incident took place in the early hours of September 4. The three passengers had arrived in Delhi from Amritsar on Air India flight AI-1115 at around 12:50 am before boarding Lufthansa flight LH-763 to Munich at approximately 1:45 am.

The ministry has sought an explanation from Air India and given the airline seven days from receipt of the notice to respond.

How the passengers bypassed immigration

The three passengers were travelling under Air India’s hub-and-spoke arrangement, in which travellers from smaller airports connect to international destinations through a major hub.

They travelled from Amritsar to Delhi and were issued domestic, or “D”, boarding passes for their Air India flight. They were also issued boarding passes for their onward Lufthansa flight to Munich at Amritsar.

According to the ministry’s notice, Air India’s standard operating procedure provides for two categories of boarding passes — “D” for domestic passengers and “I” for international passengers. The ministry has questioned the issuance of the additional boarding passes in this case.

After arriving in Delhi, the passengers were taken from Gate 39 towards the International-to-International Transfer Area. They then reached the departure area and boarded the Lufthansa flight without passing through the immigration checkpoint.

Ministry flags five SOP provisions

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has flagged five provisions of Air India’s Domestic-International Operations SOP in connection with the incident.

These include rules concerning the categories of boarding passes, segregation of domestic and international passengers after disembarkation, and access to the International-to-International Transfer Desk.

The ministry has also raised questions over Air India’s requirement to maintain a nodal officer and monitoring team at hub and spoke airports around the clock. These mechanisms are intended to ensure that passengers do not enter the international departure process through an incorrect route without completing the required formalities.

The ministry said the monitoring mechanism failed in this case.

Ministry seeks answers from Air India

The show-cause notice asks Air India to explain how passengers holding domestic boarding passes were able to enter the international transfer area.

It has also sought clarification on why the passengers were issued boarding passes for their onward Lufthansa flight at Amritsar and has asked about the role of Air India personnel and SATS staff involved in handling the passengers.

The ministry has further sought information about the designated nodal officer and monitoring team’s presence and actions at the time. It has questioned why the required reconciliation of domestic and international passengers was not completed promptly.

Questions have also been raised over whether the General Declaration, passenger manifest and API-PNR data concerning the passengers were shared with immigration authorities in time and whether their status was accurately reflected in those records.

Lapse detected during manual reconciliation

According to the notice, the lapse was detected later during manual reconciliation.

The incident has therefore raised questions about both the handling of the passengers and the systems intended to prevent domestic-arrival passengers from entering the international departure process without completing immigration clearance.

Air India gets seven days to respond

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked Air India to explain why action should not be initiated against the airline for failing to follow the prescribed SOP and take adequate precautions.

The airline has seven days from receiving the notice to submit its response.

The ministry has warned that failure to respond within the stipulated period could be treated as having no explanation to offer, after which administrative and regulatory action may be considered based on the available records.

What is the hub-and-spoke model?

Under a hub-and-spoke model, passengers from smaller airports travel through a major airport before connecting to international destinations.

In this case, the passengers travelled from Amritsar to Delhi before connecting to a Munich-bound international flight.

At the hub airport, passengers arriving on domestic flights but holding onward international bookings must be identified and routed through the prescribed process, including immigration clearance before leaving India.

In the Delhi incident, the three Italian passengers instead entered the international transfer process and boarded their Munich flight without completing the required immigration formalities.

The Defence Ministry has reported a significant reduction in Chinese deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in 2025, while stating that the Indian Army continues to maintain a robust deployment along the northern borders.

The assessment was included in the Defence Ministry’s annual report for 2025-26, which also highlighted continued political, diplomatic and military engagement between India and China.

Chinese deployment along LAC reduced in 2025

According to the annual report, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) witnessed a significant reduction in its deployment opposite India’s northern borders during 2025.

The report said the PLA had 10 Combined Arms Brigade-size forces each deployed along the LAC and in traditional training areas.

A brigade typically consists of around 3,000 soldiers along with supporting units. The Defence Ministry described the Indian Army’s deployment across sectors of the LAC as robust, well-positioned and prepared to deal with any emerging contingency.

Combined Arms Brigades bring together different military capabilities, including infantry, armour, artillery and air defence, allowing the formation to operate as a self-contained combat unit.

India-China engagement continued

The Defence Ministry also pointed to continued engagement between India and China during 2025.

The report said the 33rd and 34th rounds of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) were held in March and July 2025 respectively.

Special Representatives’ talks on the India-China boundary question also resumed, with rounds held in December 2024 and August 2025.

The report said these political, diplomatic and military interactions contributed to positive developments and greater stability along the northern borders.

Military-level talks also held

Military engagement between the two countries continued during the year.

The 23rd Corps Commander Level Meet was held in Eastern Ladakh on October 25 and 26, 2025. The Defence Ministry said Border Personnel Meetings with the PLA also continued across sectors in what it described as a cordial environment aimed at resolving issues of concern.

The report also noted that the positive developments in bilateral relations were reinforced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin in August 2025.

What does the Defence Ministry report say about the LAC?

The report says that Chinese PLA deployment along the northern borders saw a significant reduction in 2025. At the same time, it says the Indian Army’s deployment along the LAC remains robust and prepared for emerging contingencies.

The assessment comes amid continued military and diplomatic engagement between India and China following the disengagement process in eastern Ladakh.

Jammu and Kashmir security situation

The annual report also discussed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

It said the situation remained firmly under control and pointed to lower levels of violence, scaled-down protests and zero incidents of stone-pelting during the period covered by the assessment.

The report said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and along the Line of Control had changed significantly during Operation Sindoor. It added that the situation stabilised to a large extent after talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan on May 10 and 12, 2025, while noting that unpredictability remained.

What is the significance of the reduced Chinese deployment?

The Defence Ministry’s assessment indicates a reduction in PLA deployment along India’s northern borders compared with the earlier deployment posture. However, the report simultaneously stresses that the Indian Army remains prepared for emerging contingencies along the LAC.

The development comes alongside continued India-China diplomatic and military-level communication aimed at maintaining stability along the disputed border.

The BRICS Summit in New Delhi has drawn criticism from Opposition parties, with the Samajwadi Party questioning what the meeting achieved and Congress targeting the all-vegetarian menu served during the event.

The criticism came after the 11-member grouping adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, which expressed concern over the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and called for restraint, dialogue and diplomacy.

Samajwadi Party questions BRICS outcomes

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav questioned the outcome of the BRICS Summit, saying that nothing significant had emerged from the meeting.

Yadav said more could have been done to address the wars affecting the world, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the conflict involving Iran. He said these wars were affecting economies globally.

His comments came after BRICS countries adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026. The declaration expressed serious concern over the escalation in the Middle East and called for maximum restraint, dialogue and diplomacy.

It also called for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and stressed the importance of maintaining global trade, supply chains and energy flows.

Congress criticises all-vegetarian menu

Congress also criticised the food arrangements at the BRICS Summit, particularly the decision to serve an all-vegetarian menu to world leaders attending the event.

Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the BJP of imposing its dietary preferences on international dignitaries. The remarks added a political dimension to the menu served during the summit.

The BJP responded by accusing Congress of trivialising a major diplomatic event by focusing on the food instead of the summit’s policy discussions and resolutions.

Congress seeks details of Modi-Xi talks

Congress also demanded that the government make public details of the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

The demand came amid wider political reactions to the summit and its diplomatic engagements.

BRICS Summit and New Delhi Declaration

The BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi, with leaders and representatives of member countries taking part in discussions on global and regional issues.

The summit concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026. The document addressed the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and stressed dialogue, diplomacy and restraint.

The summit also saw diplomatic engagements on the sidelines. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a one-on-one meeting in New Delhi.

While the government highlighted the summit’s diplomatic significance, Opposition parties raised questions about its outcomes and criticised aspects of the arrangements surrounding the event.