Finding Out the Real Reason Why All Indian Aeroplanes Have the ‘VT’ Call Sign

 For clarification, this is not an abbreviation and does not mean anything. The full registration mark follows this prefix, for example, VT-123, where the numbers that follow "VT" are exclusive identifiers for each aircraft. This system helps track and identify aircraft within the aviation industry. This call sign was assigned to India during the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington in 1927.

The use of the radio call sign prefix for civil aircraft registration had already commenced in the Western world in the 1920s. It got formalized in 1928 IIRC. That is how VT came to us in Indian aviation.

In 1929, all British-owned countries, such as Australia, Canada, India, Sri Lanka, etc., were assigned the series VA to VZ. Australia had VH, Canada VP, Sri Lanka VP-C and India VT. "It was just a series allocation for the countries under the control of the British, but VT did not stand for Viceroy Territory.

In 1947-1948, Sri Lanka and Pakistan had to search for a new call sign as India inherited VT. Pakistan sought PA but got AP. They grabbed AP since it put them at the top of the list. Sri Lanka became VT-C-XXXX and, in its wish to move away from an India-linked call sign, finally settled for 4R in 1954. Even in 1954, alphabet combinations that suited a nation had started to run out and alphanumeric ones came into use.

The International Telecommunication Union initially allotted three call sign series to India: ATA-AWZ, VTA-VWZ, and 8TA-8YZ. "All civilian aircraft registered in India continue to use the VT prefix. The DGCA and the Civil Aviation Ministry did not provide evidence of VT standing for 'Victorian' or 'Viceroy's Territory'. All other call signs closer to India or Bharat, for example, I, IN, B, BH, BM, or HT, are already assigned to other nations.

If there is any sort of alteration in the call sign, all documents will need to be reissued, and all aircraft have to be grounded and repainted in order to change markings, which can have a "huge monetary implication on the airlines and the civil aviation industry.

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