India’s aviation sector has undergone a remarkable transformation in the last decade, with a significant expansion of the country’s airport infrastructure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently emphasized this unprecedented growth, noting that the number of airports in India has more than doubled in just 10 years.
In a statement, Scindia explained that while the country had just 74 airports in 70 years under previous administrations, the Modi government has increased this number to 157. Additionally, the fleet size has surged from 400 aircraft in 2014 to a robust 750 today, marking a substantial growth in both infrastructure and capacity. “The speed of infrastructure development in the last 10 years has been unmatched, unseen, and unprecedented,” Scindia remarked. He pointed out key milestones, such as Prime Minister Modi dedicating 15 airports in a single day on March 10, which demonstrated the government’s commitment to accelerating growth in the sector. Scindia also highlighted that regions like Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, which had been without airports for over 65 years, now have operational airstrips. Sikkim now boasts an airport, while Arunachal Pradesh has seen the establishment of four airports.
The rapid pace of infrastructure development has not been limited to aviation. Scindia emphasized that this growth is part of a broader infrastructure revolution across sectors. The budget for infrastructure has seen a significant boost, with annual capital expenditure growth of 10-15%. This has had a multiplier effect, contributing to GDP growth, with each rupee spent on infrastructure generating 2.5 to 3 times its value in national development. Scindia also noted the expansion of India’s road and railway networks as part of this transformation. The national highway network has grown from 91,000 kilometers to 150,000 kilometers over the past decade. Road construction has accelerated from 12 kilometers per day in 2014 to a target of 60 kilometers per day, drastically reducing freight truck transit times by 20% and lowering logistics costs. These advances in infrastructure are seen as vital in India’s path from a developing nation to a developed one, with far-reaching implications for economic growth and connectivity. The aviation sector’s boom is a key part of this vision, improving accessibility, boosting tourism, and driving economic progress across the country.
