The Noida International Airport at Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, is set to be renamed Narendra Modi International Airport, Noida-Jewar, following approval of the proposal by the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the decision on Friday, October 9, after a Cabinet meeting in Lucknow. He said the state government had approved the proposal to name the airport after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the project as a major addition to Uttar Pradesh’s infrastructure.
The announcement comes months after Modi inaugurated the airport’s first phase on March 28, 2026. The airport is intended to serve as a second major international aviation gateway for the National Capital Region (NCR), alongside Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
According to Adityanath, the Cabinet’s decision is intended to honour Modi’s 25 years of continuous public service as the head of a government.
The milestone dates back to 2001, when Modi became Chief Minister of Gujarat. He subsequently became Prime Minister in 2014 and has continued in that role.
Adityanath said the Cabinet was grateful to the Prime Minister for the airport project, describing it as an important infrastructure development for Uttar Pradesh. The state government expects the facility to strengthen connectivity and support economic activity across the region.
The airport has been closely associated with the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government’s infrastructure development plans. Modi laid its foundation stone in November 2021 before inaugurating its first phase in March 2026.
The Cabinet’s approval concerns the proposal to adopt the new name. The formal implementation of the renaming will depend on the applicable administrative process.
Located in Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar district, the Noida International Airport is a greenfield aviation project developed to supplement the existing airport infrastructure in Delhi-NCR.
The airport is expected to serve passengers from Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh, as well as travellers from neighbouring regions. Its location near the Yamuna Expressway is intended to improve road access for passengers and businesses.
The first phase was inaugurated on March 28, 2026, with an investment of approximately ₹11,200 crore, according to the government. The project is being developed under a public-private partnership involving the Uttar Pradesh government and Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG.
The airport’s initial phase has been designed to handle approximately 12 million passengers annually. With subsequent expansion, its planned capacity could rise to around 70 million passengers per year by 2050.
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport serves as a major domestic and international aviation hub. The addition of the Jewar airport is intended to distribute passenger traffic more effectively and create additional capacity as demand for air travel grows.
The new airport could improve connectivity for residents and businesses across western Uttar Pradesh, while also supporting cargo operations, logistics, tourism and investment in surrounding areas.
The project includes plans for an integrated cargo terminal and logistics facilities, potentially strengthening access to domestic and international markets for businesses in the region. The scale of these benefits will depend on the airport’s expansion, airline connectivity and supporting transport infrastructure.
With the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approving the renaming proposal, the airport is set to carry the name Narendra Modi International Airport, Noida-Jewar, subject to the applicable formalities.
The announcement adds a new chapter to the airport project, which has progressed from an infrastructure proposal to an operational aviation facility in 2026.
For passengers, airlines and businesses, the immediate significance of the airport remains its role in expanding aviation capacity in Delhi-NCR. The renaming changes its proposed official identity, while its long-term impact will depend on passenger growth, connectivity and the completion of future development phases.
