Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Credit: PTI Photo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Centre is working on the next phase of the UDAN scheme to expand regional and affordable air connectivity and sea-plane operations across the country.
In his virtual address at the Aviation Summit Wings India 2026 here, the PM said the NDA government in 2016 launched the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), scheme to to make air travel affordable to the common person by connecting unserved and underserved airports in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
As a result of the scheme, 15 million passengers—around one and a half crore—have traveled on routes, many of which did not even exist earlier, he said.
Prime Minister Modi remarked that as India advances towards the goal of becoming a developed nation, the expansion of air connectivity is certain to multiply many times over. He highlighted that by 2047, India is expected to have more than 400 airports, creating a vast network.
Pointing out that passenger traffic has grown rapidly, he said Indian airlines are expanding their fleets, with more than 1,500 aircraft ordered in recent years.
In 2014, India had 70 airports, while now the number has risen to more than 160. Over 100 aerodromes have been activated. By 2047, India is expected to have more than 400 airports, creating a vast network, he added.
Noting that India is undertaking numerous reforms in the aviation sector, he said that as a result, the country is emerging as a major aviation gateway between the Global South and the world.
He underlined that digital cargo platforms are simplifying and making the entire process more transparent, while off-airport processing arrangements are reducing the load on airports.
“Modern warehouses are being built to improve and accelerate cargo handling, which will reduce both delivery time and logistics costs in the future, he said. Underlining that India is set to emerge as a major and competitive trans-shipment hub, he urged investors to explore opportunities in warehousing, freight forwarding, express logistics, and e-commerce sectors.
Insisting that India emerged as a major global aviation hub, he called upon every nation, every industry leader, and every innovator to take full advantage of this golden opportunity.
India is working extensively on sustainable aviation fuel and is poised to become a major producer and exporter of green aviation fuel in the coming years, he said.