India plans 100 new airports under regional connectivity program

Delhi : India is preparing for another major expansion of its aviation network, with plans to develop 100 new airports over the next decade as the government seeks to extend air connectivity beyond the country's largest cities.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the projects will receive around RS 30,000 crore in funding under the modified UDAN regional connectivity program, which will run from fiscal 2026-27 through 2035-36.

The initiative comes as India's airport network has more than doubled over the past 12 years. Naidu said the country now has 166 airports, compared with 74 in 2014.

The minister said demand is increasingly coming from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, remote areas, Himalayan regions and island territories, creating pressure for improved local connectivity.

Alongside building new airports, the government is promoting a hub-and-spoke model to connect smaller cities with major international gateways. Ahmedabad has become the third airport to adopt the model, following Varanasi and Amritsar.

Under the approach, passengers from regional airports can connect more efficiently to international services operating from major hubs.