India to transform airports into global hubs with Unified Policy

22 Nov 2023 CW Team

India is in the process of developing a national policy aimed at transforming its airports into major international hubs, providing seamless single-point international connectivity to the South Asian region. This policy, pending approval from the cabinet, focuses on streamlining laws to alleviate security and immigration bottlenecks at airports, facilitating the allocation of international flying rights, and constructing essential infrastructure. The goal is to elevate airports like Delhi into prominent transit hubs, rivaling global counterparts such as Dubai and Singapore's Changi Airport, according to insiders involved in the policy formulation.

The concept of hubs involves consolidating passenger demand from the entire area and offering a plethora of direct flights to major cities worldwide.

One of the driving factors behind this initiative is to curb revenue loss. In the fiscal year 2020, a significant 69% of Indian passengers traveling to Europe and North America chose hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, opting for foreign airlines. This substantial revenue leakage poses a challenge for airlines and airports, hindering the growth of the Indian aviation ecosystem. Government officials emphasised the need for a unified policy to address this issue. By doing so, both Air India and IndiGo can tap into the potential of international traffic, driving the government's determination to formulate this policy.

The complexity arises from the fact that various aspects, such as security regulations and immigration policies, fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, while international flying rights are overseen by the Ministry of External Affairs. Additionally, the construction of essential infrastructure will be coordinated through the National Infrastructure Pipeline. Therefore, a cohesive and unified framework becomes imperative to harmonise the efforts of multiple ministries and establish consistent regulations.

Infrastructure Urban

10 Mar 2026

ABB to Invest Rs 6.25 Billion to Expand India Manufacturing

ABB recently announced plans to invest approximately Rs 6.25 billion ($75 million) in India during 2026 to expand its manufacturing footprint and research and development capabilities. The investment follows more than $35 million spent in 2025 and reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening its ‘local-for-local’ strategy in the country.The investment will support ABB’s Electrification, Motion and Automation businesses and expand manufacturing capacity for infrastructure sectors such as renewable energy, metro rail, data centres and industrial applications. Approximately 300..

Six WOLFF Cranes Handle 60,000 m³ Concrete for German Hospital

Six WOLFF tower cranes are playing a key role in constructing a new hospital complex in Memmingen, Germany, supporting large-scale material handling for the project. The facility is being built on a 7.7-hectare site and will feature six floors, around 480 beds and a gross floor area exceeding 75,000 sq m.Building shell works began recently in February 2025. One WOLFF 6531.12 Cross crane supported early site preparation before being dismantled in autumn 2025, while five remaining cranes continue operations. Over an average deployment period of 16 months, the cranes are expected to move approxim..

REC Funds Rs 115.6 Million CSR Support for Bihar Eye Hospital

REC recently committed Rs 115.6 million under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for the procurement of clinical and non-clinical equipment at Sankara Eye Hospital in Saharsa, Bihar. The initiative aims to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve access to specialised eye care services in the region.A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was recently signed between Pradeep Fellows, Executive Director (CSR), REC Limited, and Wg Cdr V. Shankar (Retd), Trustee and Executive Director of Sankara Eye Hospital, at the REC office in the SCOPE Complex, New Delhi.The support is expecte..