Centre Clears Navi Mumbai Airport for International Operations With Immigration Post Status

The Union Home Ministry has designated the Navi Mumbai International Airport as India's 38th immigration check post under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 , clearing a key regulatory hurdle before the airport begins international passenger and cargo operations from July 15 .

According to a gazette notification issued on Monday, the Centre added the Adani Group-promoted greenfield airport to the list of notified immigration posts, enabling immigration clearance for passengers entering and leaving India through the facility. The notification comes as the airport prepares to expand from domestic services to full-fledged international operations.

Airport officials have earlier announced that both international passenger flights and international freighter services are scheduled to commence on July 15, subject to the completion of final regulatory formalities. Air India Express has confirmed it will become the first airline to operate international services from the airport with direct flights to Abu Dhabi . The airline has opened bookings for the route, initially operating two weekly flights before increasing the frequency to three weekly services from July 29.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport , the second airport serving the Mumbai Metropolitan Region , began domestic commercial operations in December 2025 . It currently handles around 20,000 passengers daily with approximately 150 arrivals and departures every day. Airport authorities expect daily passenger traffic to increase to 50,000 by the end of 2026, while aircraft movements are projected to rise to about 380 per day as more domestic and international airlines commence operations.

The Centre's latest notification is expected to strengthen Mumbai's aviation capacity, reduce congestion at the existing airport, and reinforce the government's broader push to expand world-class aviation infrastructure and international connectivity.