PM Narendra Modi, Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel and others during the inauguration of the newly constructed Noida International Airport in Jewar, Noida, Uttar Pradesh on March 28, 2026. Photo: PTIdraModi via YouTube/Nadesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (March 28, 2026) formally inaugurated the National Capital Region’s second airport, Noida International Airport.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said the launch signals the beginning of a transformational phase for both the state and the country. “Today we begin a new chapter for a developed Uttar Pradesh and a developed India,” he said.
Although flights were scheduled to begin in October 2025, operations at the airport have yet to be announced. Saturday’s (March 28, 2026) inauguration comes just four years after the foundation stone was laid in November 2021. A concession contract for the project was signed in 2020 with Swiss firm Zurich Airport International AG.
Proposed to be the second airport in the National Capital Region, the project involves an investment of ₹11,200 crore. In its first phase, it will handle 12 million passengers per year on a single runway, while the long-term plan calls for a capacity of 70 million passengers per year and up to six runways.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the project would open up new opportunities for farmers, small and medium enterprises and youth in western Uttar Pradesh. “The flights from here will connect the world directly and the airport will be a symbol of a developed state of Uttar Pradesh that will fly,” he said, congratulating the people of the state, especially those in western UP.
He said the airport will serve a vast catchment area comprising Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Etawah, Bulandshahr and Faridabad, which will significantly expand connectivity across the region.
Mr Modi said the ongoing global situation remained a cause for concern, pointing to a conflict in West Asia that has been ongoing for more than a month and has disrupted supplies of essential commodities such as food, petrol, diesel, gas and fertilizers in several countries.
The newly constructed Noida International Airport, on the eve of its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Photo: Flyer via PTI
Noting that India imports a significant share of its oil and gas from the region, he said the government was working to mitigate the impact on citizens. “We are taking all possible steps to ensure that the burden of this crisis does not fall on ordinary families and farmers,” he said.
He appealed to the people to face this crisis with calmness and patience and termed it as the greatest strength of Indians.
The Prime Minister emphasized that growth in the aviation sector is also creating huge opportunities for the youth, including pilots, flight attendants and maintenance professionals. Noting that 85% of Indian aircraft still have to go abroad for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), he said the foundation for one such facility has also been laid at Noida airport.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the airport will help develop a dedicated multimodal cargo hub that will enable the state to overcome landlocked constraints and connect more easily with global markets.
Published – 28 March 2026 13:06 IST
