The gathering involved senior officials from 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 major airlines.

Following the meeting, the Minister led a walkthrough at Terminal 3 to evaluate passenger flow systems and inspect the Security Hold Area, aiming to determine operational readiness.

The National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, developed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, aims to position India as an aviation hub for its citizens by 2030 and globally by 2047. In support of this goal, the Government is executing an International Aviation Hub Strategy that includes measures such as a calibrated approach to granting Points of Call to foreign carriers, renegotiation of bilateral agreements to strengthen Indian airlines and hubs, and liberalisation of domestic code-share arrangements to expand Indian carriers’ global reach.

Minister Naidu said, “India’s unique geographical location between the eastern and western hemispheres provides a natural advantage in emerging as a global transit hub. And we have developed the strategy after extensive deliberations with all the stakeholders, and I am deeply grateful to Hon’ble Home Minister Amit Shah Ji for his active support in advancing the proposal.”

He explained that the hub-and-spoke model would enable seamless connectivity between Tier-II and Tier-III airports, developed through the UDAN scheme, and international destinations. “Passengers will benefit from reduced travel time, and there will also be optimal utilisation of the infrastructure already developed across the country,” the Ministry said.

The strategy marks a shift in India’s aviation sector from a destination market to a global transit hub, allowing Indian airports to capture significant transfer traffic currently routed through foreign hubs. Minister Naidu stated, “At present, nearly 35 per cent of international passengers travelling from India transit through foreign hubs such as Dubai, London and Singapore. Our aim is to reverse this trend by developing globally competitive Indian hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.”

Highlighting Indira Gandhi International Airport, the Minister noted, “Delhi Airport stands out with its capacity exceeding 100 million passengers annually, handling nearly 50 per cent of the total passenger traffic in the northern region and managing around 50,000 daily transfers, thereby positioning itself as a natural hub airport.”

The strategy also aims to bolster India's position as a global air cargo hub by eliminating re-screening requirements for transhipment cargo and digitising cargo approval and documentation processes to improve efficiency.

Minister Naidu emphasised the economic benefits of the model, stating, “The hub-and-spoke model is also set to have far-reaching economic implications along with increased connectivity across regions. By 2047, the cumulative impact of this initiative is projected to generate approximately 16 million direct and indirect jobs and contribute nearly USD 1.4 trillion to the Indian economy.”

The model will allow airlines to deploy aircraft more efficiently for international routes and ease congestion at major airports by decentralising customs and immigration procedures to spoke airports.

The Minister welcomed stakeholder engagement and noted the significant orders placed by Indian airlines for wide-body aircraft to support long-haul connectivity and hub operations. Delhi Airport is also developing slot banks to streamline passenger transfers and employing technology-driven solutions such as DigiYatra to facilitate smoother movement between domestic and international flights.

Under the hub-and-spoke model, passengers from smaller cities will be consolidated and routed through major hubs like Delhi for international connections. Outbound flights will carry domestic and international transit passengers, with separate boarding passes marked 'D' for domestic and 'I' for international. Customs and immigration procedures for outbound travellers will be completed at the spoke airport, the initial point of exit, without transit access to customs declaration facilities.

Inbound passengers will complete customs and immigration at the final point of entry, also the spoke airport. Baggage for inbound and outbound international travellers will be transferred seamlessly through airside operations at the hub airport, eliminating passenger involvement. To ensure operational efficiency, combination flights will not be permitted, and different aircraft will be used for domestic and international segments.

Recognising India's strategic location and growing air traffic potential, the Ministry of Civil Aviation remains committed to establishing the country as a leading global aviation hub by 2047.