New Delhi: Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has said that India’s unique geographical location between the eastern and western hemispheres provides a natural advantage in emerging as a global transit hub.
He made the remark after reviewing the readiness of Indira Gandhi International Airport for the implementation of hub-and-spoke operations, during which he held a high-level meeting with key stakeholders at the airport.
The review meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Secretary of Civil Aviation, along with representatives from key agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Customs, Airports Authority of India, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, CISF, DigiYatra, Delhi International Airport Limited, and leading airlines.
As part of the visit, Naidu conducted an on-ground walkthrough of passenger flow systems and inspected the Security Hold Area at Terminal 3 to assess readiness and efficiency, according to an official statement.
The developments are aligned with the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which outlines a roadmap to position India as a preferred aviation hub for domestic passengers by 2030 and globally by 2047.
In line with this vision, the government has rolled out an International Aviation Hub Strategy that includes a calibrated approach to granting Points of Call to foreign airlines, particularly for non-metro destinations, renegotiation of bilateral agreements to strengthen Indian carriers and promote domestic hubs, and liberalisation of domestic code-share arrangements to expand the global reach of Indian airlines.
The minister highlighted that the hub-and-spoke model is expected to significantly enhance connectivity between Tier-II and Tier-III cities and international destinations, particularly through the UDAN Scheme. He indicated that the model would reduce travel time for passengers while ensuring optimal use of the country’s aviation infrastructure.
The minister further noted that the strategy represents a shift in India’s aviation landscape from being primarily an end-destination market to evolving into a global transit hub, enabling Indian airports to capture a larger share of transfer traffic currently routed through foreign hubs.
Referring to current travel patterns, the minister said that nearly 35% of international passengers from India transit through global hubs such as Dubai, London, and Singapore, adding that the government aims to reverse this trend by developing globally competitive hubs within the country. He identified key airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai, as central to this strategy.
