PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Noida International Airport, calls it a boost to UP’s growth

New Delhi, Mar 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, describing it as a major milestone in the “Viksit UP, Viksit Bharat” mission and a symbol of the state’s rapid development. Speaking at the occasion, the Prime Minister said Uttar Pradesh has now emerged as one of the states with the highest number of international airports in India. He expressed personal satisfaction at both laying the foundation stone earlier and now inaugurating the project, adding that the airport strengthens the state’s identity on the global stage.

Modi said the airport would benefit a large region covering cities such as Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Etawah, Bulandshahr and Faridabad. He noted that the project would create new opportunities for farmers, small businesses and youth in western Uttar Pradesh, while improving global connectivity.

Highlighting recent infrastructure developments, Modi said western Uttar Pradesh has seen several major projects in recent weeks, including a semiconductor plant in Noida, expansion of metro services and the rollout of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor. He said the new airport would further strengthen connectivity and position Noida as a key growth engine for the state.

The Prime Minister recalled that the Jewar airport project was first approved in 2003 under former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, adding that it has now been completed and made operational under the current government.

He also emphasised the region’s emergence as a logistics hub, citing its proximity to major freight corridors converging at Dadri that connect northern India to ports on the eastern and western coasts. This multi-modal connectivity, he said, would help farmers and industries access global markets more efficiently and attract investment.

Modi thanked local farmers for contributing land for the project and said improved infrastructure would boost food processing and agricultural exports. He also highlighted the role of ethanol production from sugarcane in reducing India’s dependence on crude oil imports, noting that it has saved significant foreign exchange and improved farmers’ incomes.

On aviation growth, the Prime Minister said India now has over 160 airports and air connectivity is expanding to smaller towns. He noted that under the UDAN Scheme, affordable air travel has benefited over 1.6 crore passengers, and further expansion plans include building 100 new airports and 200 helipads.

He also announced the foundation of a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at Jewar, aimed at reducing India’s dependence on foreign services for aircraft maintenance and generating employment. Citing broader infrastructure gains, Modi said public investment has risen sharply over the past decade, with expanded highways, near-complete railway electrification, and improved port and inland waterway capacity. He added that efforts are underway to connect previously unlinked regions, including the Kashmir Valley and parts of the Northeast, to the rail network.