Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Noida International Airport at Jewar next month, marking a defining milestone in Uttar Pradesh’s infrastructure-led growth strategy and India’s expanding aviation economy. The announcement was made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his visit to Singapore, where he is engaging global investors and infrastructure funds.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Jewar International Airport next month. This project represents the new Uttar Pradesh—driven by infrastructure, connectivity and opportunity,” Adityanath said, framing the project as a symbol of the state’s economic pivot.

From foundation stone execution milestone

The foundation stone for the greenfield airport was laid by Modi in November 2021 in the presence of Adityanath, formally launching what has evolved into one of India’s largest airport developments. Built at an estimated cost of over ₹29,000 crore in its first phase, the project spans more than 1,300 hectares and is designed for scalable, multi-runway expansion.

Developed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited—a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG—the airport is structured under a 40-year concession model. The first phase is expected to handle around 12 million passengers annually, with long-term plans targeting a capacity of up to 70 million passengers per year, placing it among the country’s largest aviation hubs.

IndiGo’s trial runs and regulatory readiness

It may be recalled that in last year, IndiGo carried out validation and trial landings at the airport, marking a critical operational checkpoint. The trials assessed runway strength, instrument landing systems, and ground handling protocols—key prerequisites before full commercial deployment. The exercise signalled readiness for phased airline onboarding and slot allocation.

Decongesting Delhi, catalysing industry

Strategically located in western Uttar Pradesh, the Noida International Airport is expected to significantly ease capacity pressures at Indira Gandhi International Airport, which handles over 70 million passengers annually.

Beyond aviation metrics, the airport is positioned as a logistics and industrial catalyst for the Yamuna Expressway corridor. It is projected to spur investment in cargo terminals, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, warehousing clusters and export-oriented manufacturing.

For India, Jewar represents not merely additional runway capacity, but a structural upgrade to northern India’s multimodal infrastructure grid—aligning aviation growth with trade expansion and regional economic integration.