JEWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Phase 1 of the much-awaited Noida International Airport in UP’s Jewar. PM Modi called the airport a symbol of “India’s new spirit” and stressed on its potential to drive development in Uttar Pradesh. The inauguration of the new airport marks the fulfilment of a nearly 25-year-old aspiration to connect Noida to global air routes. The airport has been developed with an investment of around Rs 11,200 crore in its first phase. As the war rages in West Asia, PM Modi stressed on how India’s ethanol blending initiative has helped the country amid the crisis affecting global energy markets. Addressing a large gathering, Modi linked India’s ethanol blending programme to energy security amid the ongoing global turmoil while positioning the project as part of a broader push towards self-reliance and infrastructure-led growth. He also framed the airport as a symbol of collective ownership and national aspiration. The Prime Minister said, “You are all seeing how worried the whole world is today… In West Asia, there has been a war going on for a month.” Pointing to disruptions in supplies of petrol, diesel, gas and coal, he added that India has relied on domestic resilience to navigate the crisis.
He emphasised that the airport will serve as a catalyst for development, creating opportunities for the youth and farmers of Uttar Pradesh while benefiting surrounding regions like Agra, Mathura, and Ghaziabad. PM Modi urged citizens to remain united in the face of global challenges. He said the world is currently witnessing a period of uncertainty due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted supplies of essential commodities such as food items, fuel, fertilisers and gas across several countries. He called upon the citizens to face such crises collectively, stating that India is responding with full strength while ensuring that the burden does not fall on ordinary families and farmers.
He noted that India imports significant quantities of crude oil and gas from conflict-affected regions and said the government is taking all necessary steps to maintain stability in supplies and prices. Despite global disruptions, he said, the country’s development momentum has continued uninterrupted. Highlighting infrastructure growth in western Uttar Pradesh, Modi said the airport is the fourth major project launched or inaugurated in the region in recent weeks. He referred to the foundation of a major semiconductor facility in Noida, the progress of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat train, and the expansion of the Meerut Metro as signs of rapid development. The Prime Minister said Uttar Pradesh has emerged as one of the states with the highest number of international airports in the country. He described the project as a matter of personal pride, noting that he had also laid its foundation stone earlier. He added that the airport strengthens the identity of the state that elected him as a Member of Parliament. In a participatory gesture during the program, the Prime Minister asked people present to switch on the flashlights of their mobile phones, saying the airport belongs to the public and its inauguration should be shared by all. The crowd responded by lighting up their phones, following which he said every individual present had become part of the inauguration.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked the Prime Minister and said the airport represents the vision of a new India. He said the project will give a new thrust to the state’s growth and reflects the development roadmap implemented over the past decade. UP Governor Anandiben Patel, and Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu were among those present on the occasion. The Noida International Airport at Jewar is set to become a major driver of economic growth in Uttar Pradesh. Commercial flight operations are expected to commence from April. Built over 3,300 acres, the first phase of the airport is nearing completion with one terminal and a runway ready for operations. In its initial phase, it is expected to handle nearly 30 million passengers annually, significantly reducing the load on IGI Airport in the national Capital, located about 72 km away. In the long term, the project is planned to expand into one of Asia’s largest aviation hubs, with up to five runways targeted by 2040. The airport was finally opened after multiple delays. It was first set for a launch on December 1, 2024 which was postponed to April 2025. It was again postponed to September 1,2025 and then finally to early 2026. It is set to become the second international airport serving the Delhi-NCR region, after the IGI Airport. The two airports will function as an integrated aviation system that will ease congestion, expand passenger capacity, and position Delhi-NCR among leading global aviation hubs, the government said in a statement earlier.