Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Reviews Delhi Airport Hub-and-Spoke Plan to Make India Global Aviation Hub
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Reviews Delhi Airport
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu chaired a high-level review meeting at Delhi airport on Thursday to assess the readiness for introducing hub-and-spoke operations in India’s aviation system.
The meeting was held at Indira Gandhi International Airport and included senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Customs, Airports Authority of India, DGCA, CISF, DigiYatra, Delhi International Airport Limited, and major airlines.
After the meeting, the minister also inspected Terminal 3 and reviewed passenger flow systems and security areas to understand how smoothly the airport can handle future changes.
The government is planning to roll out a hub-and-spoke aviation model across India. Under this system, smaller cities will act as “spokes” connected to big “hub” airports, which will handle international travel.
Officials said this plan is part of the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 and supports India’s goal of becoming a global aviation hub by 2047. The idea is to improve connectivity, reduce dependency on foreign transit airports, and make travel more efficient.
At present, around 35% of Indian international passengers travel via foreign hubs like Dubai, Singapore, and London. The government now wants to bring more of that transit traffic back to India by strengthening airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai.
Delhi airport is seen as a key part of this strategy. It already handles over 100 million passengers annually and manages tens of thousands of daily connecting passengers, making it one of the strongest candidates for a global hub role.
One of the biggest changes in the plan is smoother passenger handling. Immigration and customs checks are expected to be completed at the first airport of departure, while baggage will be automatically transferred at hub airports. This could significantly reduce travel stress for passengers.
The government also plans to improve air cargo systems by cutting delays, removing repeated security checks for transit cargo, and increasing digital processing.
Officials estimate the model could generate around 16 million jobs and add nearly $1.4 trillion to India’s economy by 2047.
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