Assam CM pushes for defence corridor, greenfield airport projects

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday held high-level meetings with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu in the national capital, pitching for key strategic and infrastructural projects to boost the Northeast.

During his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, CM Sarma strongly advocated for the establishment of a defence corridor in Assam, a proposal aimed at enhancing national security and spurring regional industrial growth.

"We spoke about establishing a defence corridor in Assam. This will serve multiple purposes — fortify the needs of our armed forces in the Eastern Frontier, strengthen Hon’ble Prime Minister's ‘Make in India’ vision, and create new economic opportunities in the Northeast," the Chief Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Civil Aviation Commitments for Assam
In a separate meeting with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, the Chief Minister secured several major commitments aimed at improving air connectivity in the state.

Key outcomes from the meeting included:

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Construction of Silchar’s greenfield airport likely to begin this year

Expansion of Rupsi Airport in western Assam

Enhanced air connectivity for Jorhat, Dibrugarh, and Silchar, with new flights to more Indian cities

A renewed push to make the UDAN scheme more effective, vibrant, and sustainable, with a focus on first-time fliers in the Northeast

“Had an excellent meeting with Hon'ble Minister for Civil Aviation Shri @RamMNK Ji. We spoke at length on expanding air connectivity and infrastructure in the Northeast,” Sarma wrote on X.

The Chief Minister’s visit comes at a time when Assam is aggressively pursuing strategic infrastructure and industrialisation in alignment with national defence priorities and regional development goals.

Both meetings underscore the Assam government’s focus on transforming the state into a strategic and economic hub in India’s eastern frontier.