India’s UDAN scheme, launched in 2016, has revolutionized domestic aviation by making air travel affordable and connecting remote towns and regions to the national network. Over nine years, it has enabled more than 1.56 crore passengers to fly on 3.23 lakh flights across 649 regional routes, introducing air service to 93 airports, 15 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes. Supported by ₹4,300 crore in Viability Gap Funding, UDAN ensures sustainability for airlines on less-trafficked routes while driving economic growth, regional tourism, and job creation. The government now plans to further expand, targeting 120 new destinations and aiming to serve 4 crore passengers in the coming decade.
This transformative approach is matched by rapid infrastructure growth—India’s airports have more than doubled from 74 in 2014 to 163 in 2025, with projections of reaching 350–400 airports and handling over 1 billion passengers annually by 2047. Policy innovations such as Krishi UDAN, Lifeline UDAN, and Digi Yatra have built a more inclusive, efficient, and technology-driven aviation ecosystem, while key legislative reforms and incentives underpin indigenous manufacturing, drone operations, and expansion of flight training. Altogether, UDAN and its allied initiatives have firmly positioned aviation as an engine for economic inclusion, community development, and India’s rise as a global air travel leader.