Civil Aviation Ministry Marks 9 Years Of UDAN, Connecting 93 Airports And 1.56 Crore Passengers
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Civil Aviation
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) celebrated the ninth anniversary of UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), India’s flagship regional connectivity scheme, on 21 October 2025 in New Delhi. Launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy, UDAN aims to make air travel affordable and accessible for common citizens by linking unserved and underserved airports through Viability Gap Funding (VGF).
Since its launch, 649 routes have been operationalised, connecting 93 unserved and underserved airports, including 15 heliports and 2 water aerodromes. The scheme has facilitated over 1.56 crore passengers across 3.23 lakh flights, while the Government has disbursed more than ₹ 4,300 crore in VGF and invested ₹ 4,638 crore in airport infrastructure.
Recent expansions include Comprehensive Guidelines for Seaplane Operations (August 2024) and UDAN 5.5, a dedicated round for helicopters and seaplanes. Letters of Intent have been issued for 150 routes connecting 30 water aerodromes. The Ministry plans to continue the scheme beyond April 2027 under an Expanded UDAN Framework, prioritising North-Eastern, hilly and aspirational districts, with the goal of developing 120 new destinations.
UDAN has strengthened India’s aviation ecosystem as a pillar of inclusive growth, bringing air connectivity to remote areas and improving mobility for citizens previously beyond the reach of air services. Its expansion toward North-East and aspirational districts also aligns with the Government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, PM Gati Shakti, and Tourism and Logistics Policies. Sustaining its momentum will require policy innovation in route viability, airport operations, and environmental management for helicopter and seaplane services.
What is UDAN? → UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) is a Government of India scheme launched in 2016 to make air travel affordable for the common citizen. Through Viability Gap Funding, it incentivises airlines to operate on low-traffic regional routes, linking small towns to major cities and stimulating local economic activity.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India extend UDAN’s reach to its next 120 destinations while ensuring environmental sustainability and financial viability for regional carriers?
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