The Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, organized a workshop on the Next Phase of the UDAN Scheme, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, bringing together key stakeholders from the aviation sector to deliberate on the future roadmap for regional air connectivity in the country. The scheme 'Modified UDAN' was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 4th July, 2026 from Jodhpur Airport.
The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation; in the presence of Shri Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation; Shri Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Shri Vipin Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI).
In his keynote address, Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu introduced the next phase of UDAN and outlined the Government's vision for expanding regional air connectivity, promoting balanced regional development and ensuring that the benefits of aviation reach every corner of the country.
Shri Ram Mohan Naidu in his address stated, "In 2001, India had 65 airports. By 2014 the number increased to 74 airports - which is 9 airports added in 13 years. And in the last 12 years, we have added 90 airports! From 9 to 90! 55 unutilized and unserved airstrips have been revived and converted into operational airports! This transformatory growth, with India rising to be the 3rd biggest domestic civil aviation market has been possible with PM's farsighted UDAN vision! 10 years ago, traffic was mostly concentrated on top six airports, leaving Tier-II and Tier-III cities underserved or unserved. But then, the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 announced under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister completely transformed the picture of our civil aviation landscape. ".
Sharing about UDAN's impact, the Minister said, "Under PM's transformative leadership, the perception of aviation in the country has changed. The psychology of common man has evolved. While 10-20 years ago, people used to stand outside airport boundary wall to catch a glimpse of the aircraft; today's generation will not have that memory. With PM's vision 'Hawai Chappal se Hawai Jahaz' coming to reality, common man from middle class, neo-middle class are confidently entering the airports and flying to remotest corners of the country. Even at the airports we have started Udan Yatri Cafe, where travellers can have pocket friendly refreshments like Tea at Rs. 10, Snacks for Rs. 20".
Highlighting the resilience of India's aviation sector, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu said, "Even when the world was going through geopolitical tensions, we have been recording about five lakh domestic passengers every day. In fact, in the month of May, India recorded its highest ever monthly domestic air traffic serving over 1.5 crore passengers! ".
Sharing the success stories of UDAN, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu added, "Earlier people from Darbhanga had to travel 150 km just to catch a flight. And today, Darbhanga's shahi litchi is reaching global markets like Dubai. Then Kishangarh is one more success story. Before the airport came up in 2017, the marble industry was stranded. But now there is direct connectivity for exports as well as 2 crore pilgrims reaching Pushkar Temple & Ajmer Dargah annually. Keshod, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Nanded, there are so many UDAN success stories".
On this occasion, the Minister also gave a presentation to the stakeholders, explaining the provisions of Modified UDAN Scheme. He even did a comparative review of the Modified UDAN Scheme with the existing scheme.
RCS airfare caps on 50% seats subject to maximum of 40 seats per flight.
RCS airfare caps on 50% seats with removal of maximum seat cap for larger aircraft (> 80 seats).
2 HAL Dhruv helicopters for PHL and 2 HAL Dornier aircraft for Alliance Air.
Extension of VGF support to airline operators for 4th and 5th year.
5-year funding support with tapered funding mechanism from Year 3 onwards.
Airlines choose routes using a pool of aerodromes, and the selected aerodromes are developed.
