India Launches First Hub-and-Spoke International Flight from Varanasi
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu launched India's first 'Easy Connect' flight under the Hub-and-Spoke model from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi on June 25, 2026. This initiative represents a significant step toward realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of transforming India into a global aviation hub and providing seamless international connectivity to passengers from Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
The Hub-and-Spoke strategy aims to make India the aviation hub of choice for Indian passengers by 2030 and for the world by 2047. According to studies undertaken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, aviation hub development could generate approximately 0.4 million direct and indirect jobs and contribute an additional USD 30 billion to India's GDP by 2030. By 2047, the cumulative impact could support approximately 16 million direct and indirect jobs and contribute nearly USD 1.4 trillion to the economy. The improved international connectivity is expected to facilitate trade, tourism, investment, and regional economic development.
Minister Naidu stated that the new model represents a "monumental shift in how our citizens travel" allowing Indians to begin their international journey from their home city regardless of location. The Minister presented commemorative boarding passes to the first few passengers checking in for the inaugural flight.
Operationally, the Hub-and-Spoke model allows international passengers to complete check-in, immigration, and customs formalities at the spoke airport itself (such as Varanasi), making it the first point of departure. Passengers then board a flight to a designated Indian hub airport like Delhi. Several security safeguards have been incorporated: both legs of Domestic-International operations are designated as international operations, separate physical boarding cards with identifiers for domestic (D) and international (I) passengers are issued to prevent intermixing, and international passengers under this framework do not have access to customs declaration facilities at hub airports.
The event was attended by Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary Puneet Kansal, Airports Authority of India Chairman Vipin Kumar, Air India CEO & Managing Director Campbell Wilson, and other senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, AAI, DGCA, and airline operators. The government plans to start more Hub-and-Spoke international aviation operations from other Tier-II and Tier-III city airports.