An Air India flight from Delhi to Indore was forced to return shortly after takeoff on Saturday morning following a “fire indication” in one of its engines.

The Airbus A320neo aircraft, operating as flight AI2913, took off from Delhi with more than 90 passengers on board. Around 30 minutes into the flight, the cockpit crew received a fire alert from the right engine. Following safety protocols, the pilot shut down the engine and turned back towards Delhi. The flight landed safely at around 6:15 am, and no injuries were reported.

Air India confirmed the incident, stating that passengers were promptly transferred to another aircraft to complete their journey to Indore. The airline added that the affected plane has been grounded for detailed technical inspection.

Officials said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed and will carry out an independent assessment, as required under aviation safety rules.

The airline emphasised that passenger safety remains its “top priority” and that all operational procedures were followed by the crew.

The incident comes amid broader concerns over in-flight technical snags reported by Indian carriers in recent years. Experts note that while modern aircraft are designed to fly safely even with one engine, precautionary landings are standard when fire alerts are triggered.

All passengers later resumed their travel to Indore on an alternate flight arranged by Air India.