India is planning to develop 100 new airports over the next decade under the Modified UDAN regional connectivity scheme, marking a major expansion of the country’s aviation infrastructure. With an overall outlay of around ₹28,840 crore, the initiative aims to improve air connectivity to smaller cities, remote regions and underserved areas across India.
The Modified UDAN scheme will be implemented from 2026–27 to 2035–36 and is expected to improve regional connectivity, support domestic tourism and create new opportunities for businesses in emerging destinations.
India to Develop 100 New Airports Over the Next Decade
The Indian government plans to invest around ₹30,000 crore over the next 10 years to expand airport infrastructure and improve regional air connectivity.
Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu has highlighted the government’s plan to develop additional airports as part of India’s broader aviation expansion.
The programme will focus on connecting tier-2 and tier-3 cities, remote destinations and geographically challenging regions, including:
- Northeast India
- Himalayan regions
- Island territories
- Remote and underserved areas
- Smaller cities with limited air connectivity
The initiative is expected to make air travel more accessible while supporting regional economic development.
What Is the Modified UDAN Scheme?
The Modified UDAN scheme is the government’s expanded regional connectivity programme designed to improve air travel access beyond India’s major metropolitan airports.
Under the scheme, the government will support the development of new airports while also reviving, upgrading and operationalising existing unserved and underserved airstrips.
The programme will run from 2026–27 to 2035–36, with a focus on creating a stronger regional aviation network across the country.
Key Highlights of Modified UDAN
| Initiative | Details |
|---|---|
| New airports | 100 planned over the next decade |
| Implementation period | 2026–27 to 2035–36 |
| Overall outlay | Around ₹28,840 crore |
| Airport development allocation | ₹12,159 crore |
| Modern helipads | Around 200 planned |
| Main focus | Tier-2, tier-3, remote and underserved regions |
Why Is India Building 100 New Airports?
The planned airport expansion is aimed at addressing the growing demand for air travel while improving connectivity between smaller cities and major urban centres.
India’s aviation network has expanded considerably over the past decade. The number of operational airports has increased from 74 in 2014 to around 166 in 2026.
The government now aims to take this growth further by bringing more destinations into India’s commercial aviation network.
The expansion could help:
- Improve regional air connectivity
- Reduce travel time between smaller cities and major hubs
- Support tourism in emerging destinations
- Encourage regional economic development
- Create new domestic flight routes
- Improve last-mile connectivity
- Increase access to remote regions
How Will the New Airports Boost Tourism in India?
The development of new airports could provide a significant boost to domestic tourism in India.
Many emerging destinations currently require travellers to undertake long road or rail journeys after arriving at the nearest major airport. Improved regional air connectivity could reduce these travel times and make such destinations easier to access.
Better connectivity could increase demand for:
- Hotels and resorts
- Local transportation
- Tour guides
- Restaurants and cafes
- Adventure tourism
- Local experiences
- Travel and hospitality services
This could create new opportunities for local businesses while increasing visitor numbers in tourism-dependent regions.
Northeast and Himalayan Regions Could Benefit Significantly
The Northeast and Himalayan regions are expected to be among the important beneficiaries of the airport expansion.
Several destinations in these regions have strong tourism potential but face geographical and transportation challenges.
Improved airport infrastructure and regional flight connectivity could make destinations in these areas more accessible to domestic travellers.
The expansion could particularly support:
- Weekend trips from major cities
- Short-haul domestic travel
- Adventure tourism
- Mountain tourism
- Cultural tourism
- Remote destination tourism
Government Plans Around 200 Modern Helipads
The Modified UDAN programme also includes plans to develop around 200 modern helipads.
Helipads can provide an additional layer of connectivity for regions where conventional airport development is difficult because of challenging terrain or geographical constraints.
This could be particularly useful for remote and mountainous areas where road and conventional air connectivity can be difficult to develop.
India’s Airport Network Has More Than Doubled Since 2014
India’s aviation infrastructure has undergone rapid expansion over the last decade.
The number of operational airports increased from 74 in 2014 to around 166 in 2026.
The planned development of 100 additional airports represents another major step in expanding India’s aviation network beyond the country’s largest metropolitan hubs.
The government’s broader objective is to create an aviation ecosystem in which passengers from smaller cities can access both domestic and international destinations more conveniently.
India Strengthens the Hub-and-Spoke Aviation Model
Alongside regional airport development, the government is also working to strengthen the hub-and-spoke model for international travel.
Ahmedabad has recently joined Amritsar and Varanasi in implementing this model, which is intended to make international connections more accessible to passengers travelling from regional airports.
Under a hub-and-spoke system, smaller regional airports can act as spokes connected to larger aviation hubs. Passengers can then transfer at these hubs to reach domestic or international destinations.
This approach could help integrate India’s growing regional aviation network with major international routes.
Regional Airlines Could Create New Domestic Flight Routes
The expansion of airport infrastructure is also taking place alongside the growth of regional airlines and smaller aircraft operations.
New airports alone cannot guarantee connectivity. Regular and commercially viable flight operations will also be essential.
If airlines increase their use of regional aircraft, the combination of new airport infrastructure and smaller aircraft could make it easier to connect emerging cities that may not generate enough demand for larger aircraft.
This could lead to the creation of new domestic routes and more travel options for passengers.
What Will 100 New Airports Mean for India’s Travel Industry?
The planned airport expansion could reshape India’s domestic travel landscape over the next decade.
For travellers, better regional connectivity could mean:
- Faster access to emerging destinations
- More direct domestic flight options
- Easier weekend travel
- Improved access to remote regions
- Better connections between smaller cities and major hubs
For the tourism industry, improved connectivity could translate into higher visitor numbers, greater hotel demand and increased spending across local tourism economies.
For businesses, new airports could improve access to markets, employees, customers and investment opportunities in emerging regions.
