Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday, 11 July 2026, announced that work is underway to build six greenfield airports across different parts of Assam, framing the initiative as a major push to strengthen regional air connectivity in the Northeast.

Posting on X, CM Sarma wrote: 'Work is underway to realize our vision of building 6 greenfield airports in different areas of Assam to give fillip to regional connectivity, making best use of Adarniya [respected] Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of UDAN.' He tagged the Ministry of Civil Aviation and its minister in the post, signalling active coordination with the central government.

Context

Assam currently has operational commercial airports at Guwahati (Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport) and Dibrugarh, with a handful of smaller airstrips serving limited routes. The state's geography — spanning river plains, hills and tea-garden districts — has historically made surface connectivity difficult, leaving large swathes of the population without easy access to air travel.

The announcement positions the proposed six greenfield airports as a structural remedy to that gap, intended to open up regions that existing airports do not adequately serve.

Policy Backdrop

The UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme was launched by the Government of India in 2016 under the Ministry of Civil Aviation to connect underserved and unserved airports through viability gap funding and subsidised fare caps. The scheme has progressively expanded its scope, with successive bidding rounds adding new routes and airports across the country.

The Northeast has been a priority geography under UDAN since its inception, given the region's challenging terrain and its strategic importance. Several northeastern states have received approvals for new or upgraded airport facilities under the same policy umbrella, and Assam's greenfield push fits squarely within that broader federal commitment to improving the region's connectivity.

Stakeholders and Impact

For Assam's residents, particularly those in districts far from Guwahati, new airports could meaningfully reduce travel time and logistics costs. The tourism industry — which draws visitors to destinations such as Kaziranga, Majuli and the Barak Valley — stands to benefit from improved air access, as does the tea and agricultural export sector that depends on faster freight movement.

The aviation sector would see new route opportunities, while the construction phase of each greenfield project is expected to generate local employment and ancillary economic activity. Coordination between the Assam state government and the Ministry of Civil Aviation will be critical for land acquisition, environmental clearances and eventual UDAN route bidding.

What's Next

The specific locations of the six proposed greenfield airports have not been officially confirmed in the public domain, and formal approvals, land acquisition timelines and route-bidding rounds under future UDAN phases remain to be announced. Watchers of Northeast infrastructure policy will look for site notifications, state cabinet approvals and central government feasibility clearances as the next concrete milestones.

If the plan advances on schedule, it could substantially reshape air-travel access across Assam and reinforce the state's role as a gateway to the broader Northeast — a strategic priority that successive governments at the centre have underscored since 2014.