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SHRI VIPIN KUMARChairman, AAI As India%u2019s civil avia on sector con nues its dynamic growthtrajectory,thepastmonth haswitnessed a series ofimportantachievements and strategic ini a vesthatfurtherstrengthenour commitment to connec vity, passenger-centric services,regionalprogress,andcollabora vena on-building.In a significant boost to regional connec vity in Punjab,a major milestone has been achieved with the inaugura on of the new terminal at Halwara Airport near Ludhiana. This project, conceptualised to strengthen air links for one of India%u2019s most vibrant industrial regions, has finally come to frui on. Concurrently, the Adampur Airport in Jalandhar was formally renamed as Shri Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji Airport on his 649th birth anniversary, commemora ng his meless messages on unity, equality, and compassion. These developments symbolize our resolve to bridge infrastructure gaps and support socio-economic growth across the country.Inalignmentwithour visionofbuildingaseamlessandinclusiveavia on ecosystem, UDAN Yatri Cafes have been rolled out atCoimbatore and Surat Airports, while the Digi Yatra digitalpassenger facilita on system has been launched at Surat, PortBlair,andNagpurAirports.Theseini a vesareaimedatmakingair travel more affordable, efficient, and accessible, therebyenhancingconvenienceandinclusivityforallci zens.Recognising the importance of reliable last-mile connec vityfor airport passengers, AAI has entered into an MoU with Bharat Taxi, a driver-owned coopera ve supported by the Na onal Coopera ve Development Corpora on (NCDC). This partnership aims to introduce transparent and surgefree taxi services at mul ple airports including Rajkot, Vadodara, Surat, Bhuj, Pune, Aurangabad, Varanasi, Kanpur,Prayagraj, and Agra Airports, ensuring passenger-friendlytransporta on op ons while empowering drivers through a coopera ve model that aligns with na onal priori es such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Sahakar se Samriddhi.Further, strengthening civil avia on es with stategovernments is central to our mission of expanding regionalair connec vity. Discussions are underway with the Government of Assam to sign a strategic MoU with AAI to undertake feasibility studies for the development of four new greenfield airports in Majuli, Diphu, Umrangso, and Manas. This collabora on will unlock new avenues for connec vity and disaster-response readiness in the NorthEast while promo ng economic opportuni es for local communi es.Looking ahead, the avia on sector is poised for further expansion with major infrastructure projects nearing comple on. This includes the upcoming inaugura on of new terminal buildings at Jodhpur and Vellore airports, along with the founda on-stone ceremonies for greenfield airports at Kota and Doloo(Silchar). These developments underscore AAI%u2019s con nued commitment to enhancing airport capacity, opera onal efficiency, and passenger ameni es throughout the country.Collec vely, these developments reflect our shared vision to make air travel more accessible, efficient, and passengeroriented, while contribu ng meaningfully to India%u2019s growth story. I thank our dedicated workforce, government partners, and stakeholders for their unwavering support and collabora on. Together, let us soar higher in our mission to connect India with excellence and innova on.Vipin KumarChairman, AAIAAIConnect 3CHAIRMAN'S DESKISSUE 52 | February 2026