India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated one of the country’s most ambitious aviation projects, the Noida International Airport, on March 28. The airport, located in Delhi’s National Capital Region, is being touted as the largest in South Asia and is expected to provide a much-needed boost to India’s struggling aviation industry.
The project, call sign DXN, was initially announced by Modi more than four years ago and was scheduled to open in September 2024. However, it faced several delays before finally being declared ready for business this weekend. The total cost of the airport was 296 billion rupees ($3. 13 billion USD).
Noida International Airport is the first of five international airports planned for the state of Uttar Pradesh, making it the first state in India to have five international airports. It is also the most significant development in Indian aviation since the debut of Navi Mumbai International Airport in October last year.
The airport is expected to accommodate 12 million passengers per year initially, with a goal of reaching 70 million by 2050. This would surpass pre-war passenger numbers at Dubai International, currently the world’s busiest airport. However, flights are not due to begin until mid-April, and services will be phased in gradually.
The airport was first conceived in 2001 as Taj International Airport, but the planning began in 2018 and 2019. Although the name was changed, the intention remained the same. The airport’s location, south of Delhi, is expected to make it easier for tourists to access the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the city of Agra.
Subhash Goyal, chairman of the country’s Aviation and Tourism Committee, stated that the airport was long overdue and would be a significant boost for tourism in the region. The “golden triangle” of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, which many first-time travelers explore in India, will now be more accessible with the addition of Noida International.
The goal of the airport is to connect Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh with other cities in India and the world. It is also seen as a symbol of a developed Uttar Pradesh taking flight and a key part of Modi’s policy of Aatmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India. The airport is located in Jewar, about 50 miles southeast of New Delhi, and is expected to alleviate congestion at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
However, Indian aviation analyst Sanjay Lazar cautions that the new airport will not be a magic bullet, especially when it comes to navigating the capital’s traffic. He suggests that better interconnectivity, such as a high-speed rail or metro connecting the airports to Delhi, is needed for the airport to reach its full potential.
Despite the challenges, India is pushing forward with its aviation dreams, with Modi leading the charge. In 2014, India had 74 airports, and today, there are 160 and counting.