If you are a UAE resident heading to India and you enjoy sharing travel content on social media, there is a new set of rules you need to know before you board. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has introduced significantly stricter regulations on photography and videography inside Indian airports, and the penalties for breaking them are serious.
What Triggered the Crackdown?
The move comes in direct response to the rising trend of passengers filming reels, vlogs, and livestreams inside airport facilities. Indian authorities are concerned that such content, even when posted innocently, may unintentionally expose sensitive airport security and operational information, including surveillance layouts, staff movement patterns, and security procedures.
Where You Cannot Film
Under the revised regulations, passengers are strictly prohibited from photographing or recording video in the following areas:
- Security checkpoints
- Boarding gates
- Runway transfer buses
- Aircraft parking and handling zones
- Other designated operational sections of airports
The objective is clear: prevent any content from reaching social media that could compromise airport security infrastructure or operations.
What Happens If You Break the Rules?
Violations are taken seriously. Offenders may be ordered to delete recorded content on the spot. Beyond that, they face financial penalties, device confiscation, and in more severe cases, an investigation that could lead to placement on the DGCA's no-fly list. Depending on the severity of the breach, flying bans can range from three months to more than two years.
Rules for Influencers and Commercial Crews
The DGCA has also closed any loopholes for professional content creators. Influencers, production teams, and brands must now obtain formal approval from both airport authorities and relevant security agencies before any filming takes place inside airport premises. No exemptions will be granted without official written permission.
Where You Can Still Film
Not everything is off limits. Photography remains allowed in public-facing areas, including check-in halls, food courts, and arrival and departure concourses located outside restricted zones. Travellers are advised to follow airport signage carefully and comply with any instructions from airport staff.
Anyone travelling from the UAE to India is encouraged to review India DGCA regulations before departure to avoid any unexpected disruption to their travel plans.
