The government has announced plans to develop 44 airports, including 4 hub airports, to provide seamless international air connectivity across India. According to reports from PTI, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha revealed this ambitious expansion at a function at the Amritsar airport to mark the launch of Hub and Spoke model flights. The current network consists of one hub airport - Delhi, and two spoke airports - Varanasi and Amritsar, with Ahmedabad identified as the next spoke airport in the expansion plan. As per PTI, the model seeks to make India a global aviation hub by enabling seamless connectivity between Tier-II and Tier-III airports with international destinations through hub airports. Passengers arriving from smaller cities will be routed through major hub airports such as Delhi for onward international connections.
Air India launched flights under the Hub and Spoke model from Amritsar on Tuesday, marking the second airport after Varanasi to implement this connectivity model. As reported by PTI, from Amritsar, Air India will connect to 27 international destinations through Delhi under the model. In a video message, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu described Hub and Spoke as an "aviation sovereignty" and an "opportunity" model for India, emphasizing its role in making India a global aviation hub. The airline has introduced two daily 'Easy Connect' flights from Amritsar starting Tuesday, with the first such service launched from Varanasi on June 25. Air India announced it would be the first Indian carrier to implement the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for inbound Hub and Spoke model operations.
Air India plans to start inbound international flights to Amritsar under the Hub and Spoke model in the next two months, whereby passengers can complete their immigration process and collect baggage at Amritsar. Currently, inbound international passengers are required to complete their immigration process as well as collect their baggage at the first port of entry in India before taking the next flight for their final domestic destination. This requirement will be done away with for Amritsar under the Hub and Spoke model, enabling inbound passengers to complete immigration and collect baggage at their final destination Amritsar. The incoming international passengers under the Hub and Spoke model flights would have to change the aircraft at Delhi to fly to Amritsar, and the flights will only have these passengers, an official said.
Under the Hub and Spoke model, Air India has introduced 'Easy Connect' flights that enable travellers from cities beyond major hubs to complete check-in and immigration formalities at their origin airport. According to PTI, from Amritsar, Air India will have two daily 'Easy Connect' flights to 27 overseas destinations within four hours of arrival in Delhi. The service covers cities in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, West Asia, and Southeast Asia, with plans to expand to Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi, and other Indian cities in the coming weeks. As per PTI, international travellers from Amritsar can complete through check-in to their final destinations, clear immigration formalities at Amritsar airport, and enjoy seamless transfers through Delhi without having to re-check baggage or change terminals. The first 'Easy Connect' service was launched from Varanasi on June 25, with the Varanasi service connecting passengers to 18 international destinations through Delhi over the past month.
The government's Hub and Spoke strategy is designed to reduce India's dependence on overseas transit hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Singapore by routing more international traffic through Indian airports. According to the ministry, around 1.5 lakh passengers travel every year from Amritsar to Delhi to catch international flights, while a similar number arrive from overseas via Delhi before travelling onward to Amritsar. The government estimates that around 250 passengers a day from Amritsar alone could benefit from the model, with the network expected to serve around 1,200 passengers daily, or about 4.5 lakh passengers annually as more spoke airports are added. Speaking at the launch event, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the government plans to develop four hub airports and 40 spoke airports, with the strategy projected to generate about 4 lakh direct and indirect jobs and add around $30 billion to the economy by 2030. By 2047, the initiative could support about 16 million jobs and contribute nearly $1.4 trillion to the economy.
