Airports in India: India has emerged as the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world, after US and China. Addressing the Plenary Session of World Air Transport Summit at Bharat Mandapam in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government is investing in developing world class airport infrastructure in the country. He also added that the handling capacity of airports has reached 500 million passengers annually.
“Today, Bharat is the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world. And Bharat is working on a futuristic roadmap to fully maximize this potential. We are investing in world-class airport infrastructure.
Indian carriers have placed orders for over 2,000 new aircraft. And this is just the beginning. Bharat’s aviation sector is standing at a take-off point from where it is ready to soar to great heights. And this journey will not just cross geographical boundaries, but will also lead the world towards sustainability, green mobility, and equitable access,” the PM said.
Airports operational in India
Currently, there are 162 operational airports in the country. The government has also formulated a Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008 for development of Greenfield airports in the country.
Responding to a question in Lok Sabha on July 31, Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State (MoS), Civil Aviation, said: “At present, there are 162 operational airports in the country. Government of India (GoI) has formulated a Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008 for development of Greenfield airports in the country.
In addition, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) launched Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) on 21.10.2016 to enhance regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports in the country and make air travel affordable to the masses.”
Which state has highest number of operational airports in India 2025
According to Mohol, Uttar Pradesh leads with the highest number of operational airports at 17, followed by Maharashtra with 15 and Gujarat with 13. Uttarakhand has 12 operational airports, Karnataka has 10, Madhya Pradesh has 8, while both Rajasthan and Assam have 7 each. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh follow with 6 airports each.
Airports Operational India: Full list
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(Source: As per statement submitted by MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on July 31, 2025 in Lok Sabha; Note: CE= Civil Enclave, H=Heliport, WA= Water Aerodrome)
