Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu said the Dholera International Airport project in Gujarat is in its final stage of completion and is scheduled to begin operations by September-October. He made the remark at a review meeting attended by senior officials of the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Airports Authority of India, the Gujarat government and members of the airport consortium. The minister described the development as an integrated airport, industrial township, smart city and semiconductor park.

The airport runway, taxiway and control tower have been completed and about 75 per cent of the passenger terminal building has been finished. The new facility is expected to cater to two million (mn) passengers and 0.1 million (mn) in freight annually and will feature a 25,000 square metre passenger terminal and a 2,500 square metre cargo terminal. The complex includes a 2,340 metre runway designed to handle commercial and specialised aircraft, and remaining works focus on systems integration and passenger services.

The project is being developed as an aerotropolis with six-lane national highway connectivity and an upcoming high-speed rail link connecting Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Baroda, with a station planned near the terminal. Officials noted that the development will support the country's growing aerospace and semiconductor industries and include maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities for the C-295 military aircraft. The airport complex will form part of a wider industrial ecosystem linked to logistics and manufacturing. Authorities are coordinating utility and environmental clearances to align with project schedules.

Embraer and Adani Aviation System have signed an agreement to set up final assembly facilities within the complex to manufacture an indigenous commercial aircraft under the Make in India initiative, with operations expected to commence by 2028. The minister indicated the airport will also house support services and specialised infrastructure for semiconductor firms and related suppliers. With major civil works largely complete, officials are working towards operational readiness and regulatory certification ahead of the proposed September-October start. The review underscored timelines, testing protocols and stakeholder coordination to ensure a smooth opening.