 "travel, business travel, airport")
India is developing a national policy to transform its airports into major international hubs, streamlining security, immigration, and infrastructure to compete with global hubs like Dubai and Singapore's Changi Airport, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET).
An earlier report by ET in May stated that a panel had been set up by the government to designate the airport in Delhi as an international hub in line with Dubai and Doha airports. The committee reports directly to the aviation minister and was responsible for losing major global airports and suggesting steps that could elevate the airport. The policy may have been formed by this committee as part of the aviation ministry's plan to grow India's global aviation market and make Delhi a global transit hub.
The policy, if enacted, will address challenges such as double security checks and immigration bottlenecks to allow seamless connectivity between domestic and international flights. However, to ensure the success of the airport, coordination among ministries, airlines, and airports would be crucial.
India is currently the third-largest civil aviation market. The Delhi Airport has the potential to become a significant transit hub as it is strategically located in the corridor connecting North America and Europe to Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Northeast Asia. Moreover, making this airport into a popular transit hub would benefit not only airlines but also passengers through direct flights and improved services. It would also enhance India's position in the global aviation ecosystem.
Earlier this year, Union minister for civil aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated a new runway and a dual-way elevated taxiway at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, making it the first airport in India to have four runways. In the 2023-24 Union budget announcement, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman underlined increased investment in the country's airports and growing India's aviation sector. An investment of Rs 75,000 crore, including Rs 15,000 crore from private sources, was to be taken up, according to the FM.
