India, Sept. 10 -- The aviation regulator has ordered airlines to conduct one-time psychoactive substance tests on all pilots, with testing in the current cycle running until July 31 next year, people aware of the matter said on Thursday, days after the August 4 Phuket-Delhi Air India flight pilot-in-command (PIC) tested "non-negative" for such a substance.

An official said testing of pilots across all airline operators is currently underway. "An order has been issued," the official said. A second official said tests began last month.

HT was the first to report last month that the government was examining increasing the scope of random testing, with the possibility of every pilot being tested at least once a year. The government is work...