Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Noida International Airport, stating that the facility will act as a major growth driver for western Uttar Pradesh while underscoring the government’s push to expand aviation infrastructure, boost domestic maintenance capabilities, and cushion the economy from global disruptions.
In an unconventional gesture, Modi asked people present at the venue to switch on their mobile phone flashlights to symbolically inaugurate the airport, saying, “This is your property, this is your future… its inauguration is also being done by your hands.”
The Prime Minister positioned the Jewar airport as a key connectivity and economic hub for cities including Agra, Meerut, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, and Mathura, and said it would open up new opportunities for farmers, small industries, and youth in the region. “From here, aircraft will fly for the world, and simultaneously, it will become a symbol of the flight of developed Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
Highlighting capacity, Modi said the airport is being built to handle high traffic, adding that “a plane will fly every two minutes” at full scale. He linked the project to broader infrastructure developments in the region, including a semiconductor facility in Noida and the Namo Bharat corridor, as well as the expansion of the Meerut Metro.
The airport is being developed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a public-private partnership model with the Uttar Pradesh and central governments. The concession period for the project began on October 1, 2021, and will run for 40 years.
In terms of infrastructure, the airport is being developed in phases. The first phase includes one terminal building with an area of around 138,000 square metres and a single 3,900-metre runway, with a projected passenger handling capacity of 12 million per annum. In the second phase, capacity is expected to expand to 30 million passengers annually. Subsequent phases will add a second terminal and runway, taking total passenger capacity to 70 million per annum, cargo handling capacity to about 1.5 million tonnes, and aircraft parking stands to around 200.
“These projects are a grand example of the efforts of the double-engine government for the development of UP,” Modi said, referring to the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state.
Modi also used the occasion to draw a political contrast, noting that the airport project was approved in 2003 under former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee but did not progress for years. “From 2004 to 2014, this airport remained buried in files,” he said, adding that work accelerated only after the BJP came to power at both the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.
A key focus of the speech was the government’s plan to strengthen India’s aviation ecosystem, particularly maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities. Modi said that at present “even for 85 per cent of aircraft in India, one has to send them abroad” for MRO services. He announced that an MRO facility is being developed at Jewar, which will cater to both domestic and foreign aircraft.
“When this facility is ready, it will serve domestic and foreign aircraft… the country will also earn, our money will also remain in the country, and the youth will also get many jobs,” he said.
The Prime Minister highlighted the expansion of India’s aviation network, stating that the number of airports has increased from 74 before 2014 to more than 160 now. He also referred to the expansion of the regional connectivity scheme UDAN, noting that the government has approved around ₹29,000 crore for its next phase, with plans to develop 100 new airports and 200 helipads.
“As new airports are being built in India, similarly the need for new aircraft is also increasing,” Modi said, adding that Indian airlines have placed orders for hundreds of planes, which will create demand for skilled manpower across aviation services.
Modi also linked the airport’s development to broader logistics and supply chain improvements, pointing to the convergence of dedicated freight corridors at Dadri. He said improved multimodal connectivity would enable agricultural produce and industrial goods from the region to reach global markets faster.
On the macroeconomic front, the Prime Minister referred to ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, noting that the conflict has disrupted supplies of essential commodities such as fuel, fertilisers, and food items. “India has been bringing crude oil and gas in very large quantities from where the war is going on,” he said, adding that the government is taking steps to ensure that the burden does not fall on ordinary households and farmers.
He also highlighted the role of ethanol blending in reducing import dependence, stating that increased ethanol production from sugarcane has helped cut crude oil imports and save foreign exchange. According to him, without ethanol blending, India would have had to import “four and a half crore barrels… almost 700 crore litres of crude oil” annually.
Modi said the government has significantly increased infrastructure spending over the past decade, including investments in highways, railways, ports, and waterways, to support economic growth. He added that improved connectivity, including projects such as the Namo Bharat corridor, has reduced travel time and enhanced mobility in the region.
Calling for unity amid global uncertainties, Modi urged political parties to avoid statements that could harm national interests. “Whatever is in the interest of India… that alone is the policy and strategy of the Government of India,” he said.
The Prime Minister also thanked farmers who contributed land for the airport project, saying their participation would help usher in a new phase of development in the region.