India is rapidly expanding its aviation infrastructure, with a new airport being added every 50 days, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on Sunday.
Speaking after the successful validation flight at the upcoming Bhogapuram airport near Visakhapatnam on Saturday, the minister highlighted the government’s push to boost air connectivity across the country.
Following the operational launch of Navi Mumbai airport, Jewar airport is set to begin operations in February, while Bhogapuram airport is expected to become operational by June this year, he added.
“We have fast-tracked the project for operations by May or June 2026, well ahead of the original schedule. The Noida International Airport at Jewar will be ready by February,” the minister said.
Regulatory Milestones
Bhogapuram airport operator GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) said the validation flight marked a key regulatory milestone ahead of the airport’s inauguration, scheduled for June this year.
The successful validation flight marks a mandatory milestone in the process of securing an aerodrome licence from the aviation regulator and is a key prerequisite for the commencement of commercial flight operations.
Bhogapuram Airport is being developed under a public–private partnership model on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.
Saturday’s exercise assessed and validated the airport’s airside infrastructure, including runway systems, navigational aids and overall operational readiness, in accordance with standards prescribed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
GMR Group Deputy Managing Director I. Prabhakar Rao stated that construction of the airport is more than 90 per cent complete and progressing ahead of the stipulated timelines. The greenfield airport is being developed in phases, with an initial passenger handling capacity of six million passengers per annum, which will be expanded in line with future traffic growth.
The minister noted that India currently operates a fleet of 843 aircraft. In 2025 alone, 80 new aircraft were added, and another 106 planes are expected to join airline fleets in 2026. He also said regional carrier Star Air is planning to place additional aircraft orders, which will further boost capacity.
Policy Shift
The minister said the civil aviation ministry is encouraging states to develop multiple airports, particularly in regions where existing capacity is nearing saturation. He noted that the 150-kilometre rule, which earlier restricted the construction of a second airport, no longer applies once an existing airport is fully utilised.
“The policy ensures the operational stability of the first airport, but it does not restrict the development of another airport once capacity has been saturated,” he added.
Naidu also highlighted policy support for international connectivity. He said that 18 airports are currently covered under the Open Sky policy, which facilitates the launch of international routes. Visakhapatnam is among the airports included under this policy, enabling smoother global connectivity.
On IndiGo, the minister said that the ministry is reviewing the DGCA report to impose a strict penalty. He emphasizes that the action taken must serve as a lesson and a deterrent for future people to prevent similar chaos.