Current Code Represents Colonial Rule

The Indian government just celebrated 60 years of independence from Britain last week... and has renewed a request to change its international registration code on Indian aircraft.

The request was made of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in an attempt to get rid of the legacy of colonial rule, according to the UK Times. Indian tail numbers carry the letters VT -- for "Viceroy's Territory."

"I am keen that we get a code that can stand for something we want, something to do with India," Praful Patel, the Minister for Civil Aviation told The Indian Express.

The request for the change is not a new one. The proposal was originated by the last government in power, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. The government first wanted to change the identifying letters to BM for Bharat Mata meaning "Mother India" or BH for Bharat, but China had already been assigned the 'B' series.

That government then suggested IU for Indian Union or IR for Indian Republic, only to be told Italy had the 'I' series all sewn up.

Whatever letter are eventually chosen, the management of the newly  merged Air India and Indian Airlines hope the decision is made quickly as new aircraft have been ordered and they'd probably like to know what tail numbers to paint on them.

The ICAO assigned the current code in 1944 to British India. When the country divided into India and Pakistan in 1947, India retained VT and Pakistan was assigned AP.

Other former British colonies still use the original 'V' code today, including Australia, VH; the Falkland Islands with VP-F; and Antigua and Bermuda, both using V2; while others changed theirs like Kenya, 5Y, and Fiji, with DQ. Britain uses the 'G' series.

FMI: www.icao.int, http://civilaviation.nic.in