The North News
Noida, March 28
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, calling it a major milestone for the state and a key part of the government’s vision for a “developed India”. Speaking at the opening ceremony on Saturday, Modi said the airport marked “a new chapter” in the development of Uttar Pradesh and would boost connectivity, jobs and investment across western parts of the state.
He said the new airport would benefit a wide region including Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Etawah, Bulandshahr and Faridabad, and create fresh opportunities for farmers, small businesses and young people.
The prime minister said the airport would strengthen western Uttar Pradesh’s role as a logistics and industrial hub, linking the region more directly with global markets by air and land. He also highlighted a series of recent infrastructure projects in the region, including a semiconductor plant in Noida, the expansion of the Meerut Metro and the rollout of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat rail service.
Modi said the government was continuing with major development projects despite global uncertainty caused by the conflict in West Asia. Referring to the impact of the war, he said many countries were facing shortages of food, fuel, gas and fertilisers, and noted that India imports large volumes of crude oil and gas from the region.
He said the government was taking steps to ensure the crisis did not place an additional burden on ordinary families and farmers. The prime minister said the airport project, first approved in 2003, had now become a reality under the current government, and described it as part of a wider effort to transform Noida into a major driver of Uttar Pradesh’s economy.
He also thanked farmers who gave up land for the project, saying improved connectivity would help agricultural produce from western Uttar Pradesh reach global markets more efficiently.
Modi said the region’s sugarcane farmers had also played an important role in reducing India’s dependence on imported crude oil through ethanol production, which he said had helped cut foreign exchange outflows and supported rural incomes.
He said airports were not just transport facilities but “engines of progress”, and pointed to the rapid expansion of India’s aviation network.
According to the prime minister, India now has more than 160 airports, while Uttar Pradesh’s total has risen to 17.
He also said the government had expanded the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, with plans to build 100 new airports and 200 helipads in smaller cities under a package worth about Rs 29,000 crore.
Modi announced that the foundation stone for a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility had also been laid at Jewar, saying it would help reduce India’s dependence on overseas aircraft servicing and create jobs for young people.
Calling for calm and unity amid global tensions, the prime minister said he had discussed the West Asia crisis in Parliament and with chief ministers, and urged all political parties to support a collective national response.
