India targets 100 new airports and 200 helipads, expanding future travel-retail catchments
India’s modified UDAN programme will target 100 new airports and 200 modern helipads over the next decade. The government projects aviation will support more than 20 million jobs by 2040, creating a longer-term pipeline for airport retail, foodservice and travel services.
What happened
Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India · India plans to expand aviation connectivity through a modified UDAN scheme, targeting 100 new airports and 200
Key facts
- Over 7 million jobs currently supported
- More than 20 million jobs by 2040
- 100 new airports over 10 years
- 200 modern helipads
- Viability Gap Funding extended from 3 years to 5 years
What changed
India plans to expand aviation connectivity through a modified UDAN scheme, targeting 100 new airports and 200 helipads over 10 years. The sector is projected to support over 20 million jobs by 2040, expanding future airport-retail opportunities.
Why this matters
Airport retail and foodservice operators should map UDAN-linked airport and helipad pipelines now, using flexible low-capex formats to capture emerging regional catchments as traffic matures.