Noida, May 27, 2026 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated Phase I of the Noida International Airport at Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh on March 28, 2026, marking a transformative moment for India's aviation sector and northern India's connectivity.
Noida International Airport at Jewar has officially opened for commercial operations, with flights scheduled to commence from June 15, 2026, marking a transformative moment for India's aviation sector and northern India's connectivity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the airport earlier this month at Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, and the facility has now received final security clearance from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for 40 acres of Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities at the site during the inauguration ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Modi declared this a new chapter for the Viksit UP and Viksit Bharat campaign, emphasizing that Uttar Pradesh has now emerged as one of the states with the highest number of international airports in India.
Noida International Airport stands among the largest greenfield airport projects in the country, with Phase I developed at a total investment of approximately ₹11,200 crore under a Public-Private Partnership model. The airport will initially handle 12 million passengers per annum, with scalability up to 70 million passengers annually upon full development. Commercial flight operations officially begin June 15, following receipt of approval for its Aerodrome Security Programme from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, which certified that the airport's security framework meets regulatory requirements for commercial operations. IndiGo will operate the first flight from NIA, marking the start of scheduled passenger services, followed shortly by Akasa Air and Air India Express.
From Vision to Reality: A 23-Year Journey to Completion
The airport project was first approved in 2003 during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, making this operational launch the culmination of a 23-year vision. Prime Minister Modi recalled that as soon as the current government was formed, the foundation was laid, construction happened, and now it has started operations. He expressed feeling doubly proud, first for having laid the foundation stone of this airport and now seeing it operational, and second because the name of this grand airport is linked to Uttar Pradesh, the state that chose him as its representative and made him a Member of Parliament.
The airport will benefit numerous districts across western UP, including Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Etawah, Bulandshahr, and Faridabad, bringing new opportunities for farmers, small and medium enterprises, and the youth of the region. The site is positioned near freight corridors and logistics networks, supporting the movement of goods by air and rail. The area around Dadri, where freight routes converge, has been identified as a key logistics point for northern India. Prime Minister Modi pointed out that this area is becoming the hub of two major freight corridors with special railway tracks laid for goods trains, enhancing North India's connectivity with the seas of Bengal and Gujarat.
Economic Impact Connecting Western UP to Global Markets
Prime Minister Modi emphasized that airports are not just basic facilities in any country but give wings to progress. Due to the expansion of connectivity in the region, agricultural products of western UP will reach the global market in a much better way. The airport will bring numerous new opportunities for farmers, small and medium industries, and the youth of western Uttar Pradesh, with aircraft flying from here to the world, and the airport becoming a symbol of a developed Uttar Pradesh taking flight.
The expansion of modern connectivity will further boost food processing prospects in western UP. Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to the farmers who gave up their lands to make this project a reality, noting that agriculture and farming hold great importance in the region's economy. He highlighted that today, Noida is ready to welcome the entire world, and this whole area is strengthening the resolve of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This multi-modal connectivity is making UP a major attraction for investors worldwide, as whatever farmers grow and industries produce here can now reach every corner of the world swiftly by land and by air.
MRO Facility Lays Foundation for Aviation Self-Reliance
Addressing a critical gap in India's aviation ecosystem, Prime Minister Modi drew attention to the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul sector, noting that 85 percent of Indian aircraft still have to go abroad for MRO services. The government has resolved to make India self-reliant in the MRO sector, and the foundation stone of an MRO facility was laid at Jewar during the inauguration. When ready, it will serve aircraft from India and abroad, generating revenue for the country, keeping money within India, and creating numerous jobs for the youth.
This facility will support aircraft servicing within India, where a significant share of such work is currently carried out overseas, reducing dependency on foreign MRO providers and saving foreign exchange. The government has decided to make India self-reliant in this sector as part of its broader economic policy framework, positioning India as a global hub for aircraft maintenance services.
Operational Timeline and First Year Projections
The airport will commence commercial flight operations from June 15 after appointing an Indian CEO, following the security regulator's approval for its Aerodrome Security Programme. An airport official stated they are looking at 50-60 lakh passengers in the first year of operations. After domestic operations stabilize, they will launch international services, confident of going international before the end of 2026. The airport currently features one runway and one passenger terminal with a capacity to handle 12 million passengers annually, with its master plan including future expansion to accommodate over 70 million passengers each year.
The launch follows the DGCA's clearance granted in March, with PM Modi inaugurating the airport in late March. The airport said the June 15 start date marks the final stage of security clearance after regulatory concerns over a foreign CEO were addressed by appointing Chief Financial Officer Nitu Samra as interim CEO, replacing Swiss national Christoph Schnellmann.
Infrastructure Investment Building Viksit Bharat
Prime Minister Modi underscored unprecedented investment in modern infrastructure for a Viksit Bharat, sharing that over the past eleven years, the infrastructure budget has been increased more than six-fold. ₹17 lakh crore has been spent on highways and expressways with over 100,000 kilometres of highways constructed. Railway electrification has expanded from 20,000 kilometres before 2014 to over 40,000 kilometres since then, with nearly 100 percent of the broad-gauge network now electrified.
The inauguration of Phase I of Noida International Airport marks a major step in Uttar Pradesh's growth story and India's aviation future, transforming Noida into a powerful engine of UP's development while connecting North India to the world through modern, world-class aviation infrastructure. With commercial operations beginning June 15, the airport will serve 1.09 lakh daily commuters by 2031, positioning the region among global adopters of advanced aviation infrastructure and strengthening India's position as one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets.
