Highlighting the rapid expansion of India's aviation sector, Union Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced on Monday that the country aims to develop 50 new airports over the next five years. The statement was made during the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting.

India currently operates 162 airports, more than double the 74 airports functional in 2014. The minister attributed this growth to government-led infrastructure investments and policy support.

Naidu also praised the impact of the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, which has operationalised 619 regional routes, making air travel more accessible to people across smaller towns and cities. The initiative, he said, has democratised aviation, bringing it within reach of the common citizen.

The government’s push for regional connectivity and new infrastructure signals a strong growth trajectory for the Indian aviation industry over the coming decade.