“Growth of Civil Aviation infrastructure and enhanced connectivity are giving wings to the aspirations of North East India”: Union Minister Rammohan Naidu

Ministry of Civil Aviation “Growth of Civil Aviation infrastructure and enhanced connectivity are giving wings to the aspirations of North East India”: Union Minister Rammohan Naidu North East Region Ministers’ Conference on Civil Aviation & 3rd North East Aviation Summit in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Landmark event marked engaging discussions on harnessing the sector for a prosperous North East India Posted On: 04 SEP 2025 8:37PM by PIB Delhi rd North East Region Ministers’ Conference on Civil Aviation 2025 & 3 North East Aviation Summit, organised by Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, was held today in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. The conference was graced by the presence of Shri Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, as the Chief Guest and Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, Minister for Civil Aviation, as the guest of honour. Shri Tesam Pongte, Speaker, Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly remained present at the inaugural function. Shri Lalduhoma, Chief Minister of Mizoram; Shri Tsering Thendup Bhutia, Minister of Civil Aviation, Govt of Sikkim and Shri Jogen Mohan, Minister of Hill, Development and Cooperation, Govt of Assam graced the Conference and led the respective State Govt delegations for the interaction with the Ministry and the Aviation Industry. Shri Balo Raja, Minister of Civil Aviation, Arunachal Pradesh presented the State’s perspective.In the inaugural, Chief Guest Shri Pema Khandu, Chief Minister, Arunachal Pradesh emphasised that transportation connectivity is the most critical sector for development of the NER. In the last 10 years, aviation infrastructure and connectivity status of NER has seen unprecedented growth. Having airports in Arunachal Pradesh was a long cherished dream of the people which got realised because of the active support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation under the visionary leadership of the hon’ble PM. Progress in creation of aviation infrastructure and path breaking schemes like UDAN have been instrumental in transforming the socio economic aspirations of the NE region. Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, emphasized the need for deepening Centre-State-Industry collaboration for the accelerated growth of the Civil Aviation sector in the North East Region. He emphasized that enhanced air connectivity is vital for improving accessibility to remote and border areas, promoting tourism, facilitating cargo and logistics, and driving industrial as well as socio-economic growth in Arunachal Pradesh and the North East Region. To realise its strong tourism potential, North East Region should solve its connectivity challenges in fast pace. Also there is need for accelerating skilling initiatives for fast tracking employment generation among the youths of the region. An industry driven aviation ecosystem would be able to cater to both these needs.The Minister expressed pride in informing that the number of operational airports in the region has grown from nine in 2014 to 16 at present. Aircraft movements have nearly doubled, while domestic passenger traffic has increased more than threefold since 2014. Encouraging the states to harness on the region’s tourism potential, the Minister stated: “You have not seen India until you have seen North East India. The natural beauty, vibrant culture, warm hospitality and the strong essence of Indianness found here are unmatched.” He urged the states to focus on developing tourism infrastructure and hospitality services to complement expanding aviation connectivity. Highlighting future support for infrastructure creation, the Minister shared that For the North Eastern group of states, we have decided to offer four pre-feasibility studies for Greenfield Airport development every financial year, free of consultancy or other charges. This will encourage states to plan and build new airports and take full advantage of the growth momentum.He assured continued support from the Central Government and emphasized that aviation is no longer a luxury—but a critical enabler of Viksit Bharat @2047. Highlighting India’s transformation into the third- largest domestic aviation market, he pointed to initiatives like UDAN, expansion of airports, growth of regional carriers, focus on Aviation skilling and efforts to incentivise MRO sector as key pillars of progress. As part of Session on Opportunities for states, officials from Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI presented various airport development models and opportunities like HEMS and skilling of youth to the states. It was followed by One on One interaction with the state delegations. Parallel interactions of the states with Industry partners were also organised. During the interaction with the Ministry, Shri Lalduhoma, Chief Minister, Mizoram, highlighted that the development and betterment of aviation in the North East is not only a matter of improving air travel but a vital step toward unlocking the region’s true potential. Enhanced aviation connectivity will bridge geographical barriers, link remote areas with the rest of India, and foster stronger integration with national and international markets. He emphasized that better air infrastructure—such as new airports, heliports, and regional connectivity through smaller aircraft and helicopters—will directly benefit tourism, trade, healthcare access, and emergency services. Improved aviation services will also empower local communities by creating new avenues for employment, boosting entrepreneurship, and attracting private investment into the region. Shri Balo Raja, Hon’ble Minister of Land Management, Civil Aviation during his speech on States’s perspective emphasized that strengthening regional connectivity is pivotal to unlocking the immense economic potential of North East India. The Minister highlighted that aviation development in the North Eastern region will play a transformative role in establishing robust air links between remote towns and metropolitan cities will reduce travel time, improve mobility, and integrate the region more closely with the rest of the country, Improved air cargo facilities will provide new avenues for the export of horticultural produce, handicrafts, and other local products, thereby boosting regional trade and commerce. Shri Tshering Bhutia, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation & Industries, Govt of Sikkim emphasized the importance of policy-driven initiatives that will create a more conducive environment for investment, ease of doing business, and expansion of air services in the North Eastern region. He advocated for the full scale operationalisation of Pakyong Airport by expediting resolution of challenges. He reaffirmed the State’s commitment to work in close partnership with the Centre to build a robust aviation ecosystem in Sikkim. Shri Jogen Mohan, Minister of Hill, Development and Cooperation, Govt of Assam, appreciated theMinistry’s effort to reach out to States and take them as partners for driving policy reforms and implementation frameworks. He detailed the aspirations of the State of Assam and the critical enabling role Civil Aviation can play in achieving them. There were one on one interactions by the Ministry with the participating States and UT where State delegations engaged directly with the Union Minister and Ministry officials to discuss specific connectivity challenges, infrastructure proposals, and support requirements. Parallel sessions facilitated interactions between State Governments and key industry players, with a focus on investment facilitation and identifying implementation bottlenecks. The event had participation of senior officials from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. Also senior officials from Ministry including, Shri Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, DG DGCA, and Shri Vipin Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India attended the Conference. Over 70 industry stakeholders, including airline and helicopter operators, OEMs, FTOs, MROs, cargo players, and drone companies, participated actively—highlighting the importance of public–private collaboration in driving regional aviation development. FICCI provided the vital industry interface for organising the Regional Conference. The conference included presentations by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Airport and Helipad Development Models, UDAN, Skilling in Aviation, and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) providing states with sectoral insights and implementation pathways. Adding further momentum to the Ministry’s forward-looking initiatives, attention was drawn to the upcoming flagship event — Wings India 2026, jointly organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), Wings India 2026 is scheduled to take place from 28th to 31st January 2026. The event will serve as a premier platform to showcase the growth and opportunities in the Indian civil aviation sector, bringing together key players from across the globe to foster partnerships, innovation, and policy dialogues. In the morning, prior to the main event at Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Hon’ble Union Minister along with Hon’ble Chief Minister visited the new Terminal Building of Donyl Polo Airport as it commenced operations for passenger movement. Built over 4100 sq m, the passenger handling capacity has now increased to 1 million passengers per annum and the Peak Hour capacity to 800. He inaugurated the UDAN Yatri cafe and a creche for toddlers. He also inaugurated AVSAR shop (Airport as Venue for Skilled Artisans of the Region) within the terminal building. The Indigo flight to Delhi today took off from the new Terminal. **** SR/DK (Release ID: 2163919)