Noida International Airport: Asia’s Next Aviation Giant Arrives
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath inspects Noida International Airport. (Image UP Info Dept)
DGCA grants aerodrome licence to Yamuna International Airport Private Limited after BCAS security vetting clearance — commercial flight operations now imminent at India’s most modern greenfield airport
By KUMAR VIKRAM
New Delhi, March 6, 2026 — Noida International Airport at Jewar has cleared its final regulatory hurdle. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted the Aerodrome Licence to Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) — paving the way for commercial flight operations at what is set to become one of Asia’s largest airports.
The licence follows Security Vetting Approval from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which conducted a detailed inspection of the airport’s security infrastructure — including surveillance systems, access control, and passenger and cargo screening — before certifying full compliance.
Rakesh Kumar Singh, CEO of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), confirmed the sequential regulatory process: “Security Vetting Approval means that the airport’s security system has been deemed safe for flight operations. Only after this approval does the final process for starting flights move forward.”
The airport has been developed by YIAPL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a Public-Private Partnership model with the Governments of Uttar Pradesh and India. The 40-year concession commenced on 1 October 2021.
World-Class Infrastructure: Licensed under the Public Use category for all-weather, 24×7 operations, the airport features a 3,900m × 45m runway equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGL). It has parking stands for 24 Code C and 2 Code D/F aircraft, and ARFF Category 9 facilities capable of handling wide-body aircraft including the Boeing 777-300ER.
Scale of Ambition: Noida International Airport is being developed in four phases alongside a multi-modal cargo hub. Phase one — with one runway and one terminal — will handle approximately 12 million passengers annually. At full build-out across all four phases, capacity will reach 70 million passengers per year, positioning Jewar as the dominant aviation hub for the National Capital Region and western Uttar Pradesh.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu congratulated the Uttar Pradesh government, stating the airport “will boost regional economic growth, tourism, and investment while offering a seamless passenger experience — combining Swiss efficiency with Indian hospitality.” He added the airport will ease congestion at existing NCR airports.
The development sits within India’s broader aviation expansion story. The number of operational airports has grown from 74 in 2014 to 164 today, making India the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. The government’s long-term roadmap targets over 400 airports by 2047.
Jewar Airport has been fast-tracked as Uttar Pradesh’s most consequential infrastructure project — expected to catalyse investment, logistics, trade, and thousands of jobs across the state.
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