UP Cabinet Clears Proposal to Rename Noida International Airport After PM Modi

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, officially passed a resolution on Friday to rename the Noida International Airport in Jewar. The facility is set to be rechristened as the Narendra Modi International Airport, Noida-Jewar. If the renaming process is completed, it will mark the first time an airport in India is named after a sitting Prime Minister, distinguishing it from major hubs like the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi or the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi, which are named after former leaders.Chief Minister Adityanath announced the decision following a cabinet meeting in Lucknow, which was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers and various ministerial colleagues. Adityanath stated that the resolution serves as a gesture of gratitude toward the Prime Minister for his contributions to the state's infrastructure. He highlighted the airport's significance as a future aviation hub intended to enhance regional tourism, industry, and global connectivity. The decision also coincides with the Prime Minister's recent completion of 25 years in public office, a milestone the state government noted as a significant event in democratic history.Finance Minister Suresh Khanna confirmed that the cabinet's resolution will now be followed by the necessary administrative procedures to finalize the name change. The airport project, which is being developed as the second international gateway for the Delhi-NCR region, operates under a public-private partnership between the Uttar Pradesh government and Zurich Airport International AG. Prime Minister Modi had laid the foundation stone for the greenfield project in November 2021, and the first phase was officially inaugurated in March 2026, with commercial operations commencing in June of the same year.The move has drawn criticism from political opposition, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav questioning the administration’s focus on renaming landmarks. Yadav suggested that such actions reflect the current government's political insecurity.