India to Expand Regional Air Connectivity with Modified UDAN Scheme

The revamped scheme aims to connect 120 new destinations, support smaller airports, and serve 4 crore additional passengers over the next decade.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the launch of a modified UDAN scheme during the Union Budget 2025 presentation.
The updated scheme will connect 120 new destinations, including helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and northeastern districts.
The government has allocated ₹530 crore for the UDAN scheme in 2025-26, up from ₹502 crore in the previous year.
Since its launch in 2016, the UDAN scheme has operationalized 619 routes, connecting 88 airports, 2 water aerodromes, and 13 heliports.
Greenfield airports are planned for Bihar, alongside expansions at Patna airport and a new brownfield airport at Bihta, to meet growing air traffic demands.