Amritsar: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has officially inaugurated Hub-and-Spoke international flight operations from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar.
This launch makes Amritsar the second airport in the country to integrate into India’s national hub framework following the Varanasi rollout in June 2026. Furthermore, this strategic model transforms Delhi into a central international gateway, seamlessly connecting regional passengers from Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh to worldwide destinations.
[Amritsar Spoke Airport] ──( Single Check-In & Through-Baggage )──> [ Delhi Central Hub ]
│
[20+ Global Destinations] ◀──( Fast Transfer & Direct Clearance )────────────┘
Streamlined Clearance for Overseas Travelers
Under the new operational framework, international passengers departing from Amritsar complete all customs and immigration formalities directly at the origin airport.
Crucially, ground staff check passenger baggage through to the final overseas destination. Therefore, travellers transfer seamlessly at Delhi Airport without collecting luggage or clearing immigration a second time.
Key Operational Metrics of the Amritsar Integration:
Direct Global Reach: Expands overseas access from 7 direct routes to over 20 destinations.
Daily Passenger Impact: Connects an estimated 250 international passengers daily.
Annual Traffic Flow: Serves nearly 3 lakh passengers moving between Amritsar and Delhi.
Facilitation Efficiency: Reduces transfer delays through single check-in protocols.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu highlighted that Amritsar’s strong diaspora and tourism catchment stand to benefit immensely from this global connectivity shift.
Strategic Vision for Aviation Sovereignty
Significantly, the Ministry expects the nationwide hub-and-spoke strategy to deliver massive long-term economic dividends across the country.
Target by 2030: [ $30 Billion Economic Output ] ──▶ [ 0.4 Million Jobs Created ]
Target by 2047: [ $1.4 Trillion Output ] ──▶ [ 16 Million Jobs Supported ]
The minister stressed that building globally competitive aviation hubs strengthens national aviation sovereignty. By capturing transfer passenger traffic domestically, India reduces its historical reliance on foreign transit hubs.
Ultimately, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and senior officials from the Airports Authority of India, Air India, Customs, and Immigration confirmed that additional regional spoke airports will join the hub network in upcoming phases.
Amritsar Hub-and-Spoke Operational Framework
| Aviation Parameter / Metric | Baseline Operations (Pre-Launch) | New Hub-and-Spoke Framework | Strategic Travel Impact |
| Global Destination Access | 7 direct overseas routes | 20+ Overseas Destinations | Expands international reach via Delhi. |
| Baggage & Customs Duty | Dual clearance at transit hub | Single Check-in at Amritsar | Eliminates secondary baggage claims in Delhi. |
| Regional Catchment Area | Local Punjab travellers | Punjab, J&K & Himachal Pradesh | Serves broader northern diaspora communities. |
| Daily Passenger Volume | Fragmented transit traffic | 250 Passengers Daily Target | Accelerates regional airport passenger yields. |
| National Economic Goal | Outflow to foreign hubs | $30 Billion Value by 2030 | Retains transfer traffic inside domestic networks. |
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