Govt Plans 44-Airport Hub-and-Spoke Network to Strengthen India's Global Air Connectivity

The Central Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to develop a 44-airport Hub-and-Spoke aviation network, including four major hub airports and 40 spoke airports, to improve international connectivity and position India as a leading global aviation hub. The announcement was made on Tuesday as Air India launched its 'Easy Connect' services from Amritsar, the second spoke airport under the initiative after Varanasi.

Speaking at the launch event, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the government envisions a network where passengers from Tier-II and Tier-III cities can seamlessly connect to international destinations through major hub airports. At present, Delhi serves as the country's only hub airport, while Varanasi and Amritsar are the two operational spoke airports. Ahmedabad will be the next city to join the network.

From Amritsar, passengers can now access 27 international destinations via Delhi within four hours of arrival, including cities across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, West Asia, and Southeast Asia. Air India has introduced two daily 'Easy Connect' flights from Amritsar and plans to expand the service to Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi, and other Indian cities in the coming weeks. The first service under the programme was launched from Varanasi on June 25.

In a video message, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu described the initiative as both an "aviation sovereignty" and "opportunity" model for India, highlighting its potential to strengthen the country's aviation ecosystem. He also reiterated the government's broader goal of developing 100 airports and 200 heliports over the next 10 years, reflecting India's rapidly growing aviation sector and its long-term strategy to enhance regional and global air connectivity.