India Expands Hub & Spoke Aviation: Amritsar Becomes Second Gateway for Seamless Global Travel

The Government of India has started a new system called Hub & Spoke International Flight Operations from Amritsar Airport. 

The Ministry of Civil Aviation today inaugurated Hub & Spoke International Flight Operations from Amritsar, making it the country’s second spoke airport after Varanasi. This milestone strengthens India’s aviation hub strategy, enabling seamless international connectivity via Delhi and positioning Amritsar as North India’s global gateway.

Nearly 35% of Indian international passengers transit through foreign hubs (Dubai, Singapore, London) before reaching their final destination. This means foreign airports and airlines earn revenue from Indian passengers, while India loses out on jobs, tourism, and trade opportunities.

This new Hub & Spoke International Flight Operations from Amritsar Airport will reduce foreign dependence by keeping international transfer traffic within Indian airports instead of routing passengers through overseas hubs like Dubai, Singapore, or London. This strengthens Indian airlines, boosts local airports, and ensures that India captures the economic benefits of global connectivity.

What Is Hub & Spoke?

• Delhi Airport is the “hub”.
• Airports like Amritsar are “spokes” connected to Delhi.
• Passengers from Amritsar can now check in, clear immigration and customs right at Amritsar.
• Their luggage will go directly to the final international destination.
• At Delhi, they just change planes — no need to repeat immigration or baggage checks.

Why It Matters for People

• Earlier, Amritsar had direct flights to only 7 international destinations.
• Now, through Delhi, passengers can reach 20+ destinations worldwide with a single check‑in.
• Every year, 1.5 lakh people travel from Amritsar to Delhi just to catch international flights. Another 1.5 lakh arrive via Delhi to reach Amritsar.
• With this system, travel becomes faster, easier, and cheaper.

Benefits for Punjab & North India

• Amritsar will act as a gateway for Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.
• Strong diaspora connections (UK, Canada, Middle East) will benefit.
• Tourism, trade, and jobs will grow.
• Government studies say this system can create 40 lakh jobs by 2030 and add USD 30 billion to India’s economy.

What Leaders Said

• Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu: “Hub & Spoke is not just an aviation model, it is an opportunity model. Amritsar will become a major international gateway.”
• Government Vision: Under PM Modi’s leadership, India wants to build its own global aviation hubs, so passengers don’t have to depend on foreign airports like Dubai or Singapore for connections.

🔑 The Bigger Picture

• India’s plan is to create 4 hub airports and 40 spoke airports.
• Delhi is the first hub, with Varanasi and Amritsar as spokes.
• More airports will join soon, making international travel seamless from regional India.
• This supports the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, aiming for a strong, connected, and globally competitive India.

In short, Amritsar passengers can now fly to the world with one check‑in, one baggage tag, and zero hassle at Delhi.

India’s Hub & Spoke model is about aviation sovereignty — ensuring Indian airports, not foreign ones, become the gateways for international travel. By 2030, India plans 4 hub airports and 40 spoke airports, creating a nationwide system that keeps passengers, revenue, and jobs within the country.

Cargill Opens ₹300 Crore Dairy Feed Plant in Punjab, Strengthening India’s Livestock Sector

• Over 1,000 jobs (direct and indirect) created, supporting local livelihoods and economic growth
• With a production capacity of 400,000 tons per year, this will be Cargill’s largest dairy feed plant in South Asia, supporting India’s objective of becoming self-reliant in dairy feed

Underscoring its long-term confidence in India’s livestock sector and to help accelerate growth in Punjab’s dairy industry, Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health today opened a state-of-the-art dairy feed plant in Wazirabad, Punjab (India). Built with an investment of ₹300 crore, the new plant will provide dairy farmers access to world-class feed solutions and deliver science-based dairy nutrition at scale. This expansion marks an important step from Cargill towards making India self-reliant in dairy feed, contributing to the Indian Government’s initiative of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India).

Spread over 15 acres, with an annual production capacity of 400,000 metric tons, the new facility will be Cargill’s largest dairy feed plant in South Asia and second plant in the state of Punjab (after Bhatinda). It will add over 1000 (direct and indirect) jobs, creating livelihood opportunities for the local community and help the company meet rising demand from core dairy markets of Punjab. Products manufactured here will be marketed under the globally renowned brands Provimi and Purina and cater to multiple customer segments including dairy farmers, producers and feed mills.

Strategically located within a high-density dairy region, Cargill’s Wazirabad facility will bring production closer to farming communities in Punjab, one of north India’s most productive dairy belts. It will also give dairy producers access to the latest technology used in the production of a wide range of dairy feed for young animals and milking cows, using a high degree of automation. By enabling consistent availability of safe and quality feed, this plant will support dairy producers improve milk yields, animal health, farmer incomes, and strengthen the entire dairy value chain.

The facility was inaugurated today by Sanjeev Arora, Minister of Industries & Commerce, Punjab, alongside Cargill leadership: “Punjab continues to be a leader in India’s agricultural and dairy landscape, supported by its progressive farmers and strong infrastructure. Investments from global companies like Cargill will further strengthen the state’s industrial ecosystem and create employment opportunities for local communities, supporting rural livelihoods. This clearly reflects growing industry confidence in Punjab as a preferred destination for agri and food sector investments and aligns with our vision of transforming the state into a progressive, prosperous and self-reliant entity,” said Sanjeev Arora, Minister of Industries & Commerce, Punjab speaking at the plant inauguration. He said that the Punjab government will support them with all possible help and make Punjab choicest destination for investors.

“By expanding our manufacturing presence closer to the key dairy regions of Punjab, farmers in the state will have consistent access to high quality and low toxin feed complying with BIS guidelines. This will enhance supply reliability and farm profitability for dairy farmers, besides contributing to local employment, thereby strengthening the state ecosystem,” said Ravinder Balain, President, Cargill India & Senior Managing Director Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health, India, speaking at the plant launch.

India is the world’s largest milk producer for several years and accounts for over a quarter of the global output. Currently, dairy is the largest agricultural product in India, contributing 5% to the national economy and directly employing more than eight crore farmers (National Accounts Statistics). This, coupled with steady growth in dairy consumption, makes availability of high-quality dairy feed critical for the growth of the sector.

Cargill’s latest expansion builds on decades of work with Indian farmers through trusted brands such as Provimi and Purina. Together with the Bathinda plant, the new facility also builds on the ‘Make in India’ agenda by expanding local manufacturing, supporting skill development and economic activity in surrounding communities. Safety, quality, and responsible operations remain foundational to the facility. Designed in alignment with Cargill’s global standards for workplace safety, biosecurity, and product excellence, the plant reflects the company’s commitment to operational integrity and sustainable food systems.

Ludhiana To House Tata Steel’s 1st Low-Carbon Green Steel Plant in India Worth Rs 2,600 Cr

[Photo ~ IJmuiden Works, Tata Steel Europe] 

The Rs 2,600 cr plant to be commissioned by March 2025

Plant to generate 500 direct employment and 2,000 indirect jobs

Tata Steel, on Friday, held the groundbreaking ceremony for its upcoming 7,50,000 tonne per annum scrap-based electric arc furnace (EAF) plant in Ludhiana. Shri Bhagwant Mann, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Punjab and T. V. Narendran, CEO & MD, Tata Steel, performed the ceremony in the presence of senior government officials and Company representatives.

This is Tata Steel’s first low-carbon green steel plant in India. This new facility in Ludhiana represents a significant step in Tata Steel’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing and attaining Net Zero by 2045. It will have cutting-edge technology, including electric arc furnaces, which is energy-efficient and produce significantly lower carbon emissions compared to traditional steelmaking processes.

Ludhiana has been specifically selected given its proximity to the Hi-Tech Valley Industrial Park as well as an auto hub from where steel scrap can be sourced to produce long steel products for the market under the Company’a flagship Tata Tiscon brand. 

T.V. Narendran, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Tata Steel, said: “We are commencing a new journey of transition towards a more sustainable Electric Arc Furnace-based steel making, through which we will continue our pursuit of decarbonisation. This proposed new state-of-the-art facility in Ludhiana marks a significant stride in our commitment to sustainable manufacturing and achieving Net Zero by 2045.

I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Punjab for their continuing support and collaboration in making this project possible. We hope to continue to work together to forge a sustainable and vibrant tomorrow. "

A capital expenditure of Rs 2,600 crore is being made in the first phase of the project. The Company plans to commission this project by March 2025. This plant would benefit the youths of Punjab, providing 500 of them with direct jobs and to another 2,000 by way of indirect employment.

In pursuit of achieving its Net Zero target and attaining leadership in sustainability, Tata Steel has made focussed interventions across the value chain and is committed towards reducing its carbon footprint in production and through the life cycle of the product. In 2021, Tata Steel also commissioned its first Steel Recycling Plant of 0.5 MnTPA capacity at Rohtak in Haryana. It is the first such state-of-the-art scrap
processing facility in the country.

In April, Tata Steel, in a world’s first instance, did a trial on its Jamshedpur plant, wherein a large quantity of hydrogen gas was continuously injected in a blast furnace, which marked a major milestone in the steel industry's journey towards green and sustainable steelmaking.

Later in June, Tata Steel and Germany’s SMS group collaborated on decarbonisation of steel making process. It was demonstrated at ‘E’ Blast Furnace in Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur plant with an objective to reduce CO2 emission by more than 50% from blast furnace’s baseline operation.

Antier School of Blockchain Set to Script Growth Story of Punjab 3.0

• ASB’s F60Day Program will convert any Web 2.0 engineer into Web 3.0 engineer within two months through a proven model currently operational in Antier
• Antier committed to partnering with all colleges and universities of the region to achieve optimum results
• The world’s largest blockchain consulting firm, Antier aims to develop Mohali as ‘Blockchain Capital of India’ by acting as a stimulus to facilitate a tech ecosystem for businesses to thrive
• Launches First 60-Day Program under the aegis of Antier School of Blockchain (ASB)
• ASB aims to upskill fresh engineering graduates in Punjab and make them industry ready, building a base of largest number of blockchain engineers for the next 10 years

Striving to give a strong impetus to Punjab’s long-term economic growth by developing Mohali as the Blockchain Capital of India, Antier, the world’s largest blockchain consulting company, today announced the launch of its First 60-day (F60Day) Program under the aegis of Antier School of Blockchain (ASB) with the greater purpose of enabling businesses to stay a in head of the curve by adopting new technologies and generating employment by making students industry-ready through upskilling to prepare them for Punjab 3.0.

While the second phase of the growth story of post-Independence Punjab was powered by the Green Revolution, the state is now on the cusp of a technology-driven revolution signified as Punjab 3.0.

Having a 600-strong workforce, the largest among all blockchain companies the world over, Mohali-based Antier aims to turn the city into a tech hub on the lines of Bangalore with ASB acting as a stimulus to facilitate a tech ecosystem for businesses to thrive, thus benefiting startups, business owners, big tech companies and policymakers alike. These conducive conditions for growth will, in turn, attract more FDI to Punjab and turn it into an attractive investment destination.

Elaborating on his idea and vision behind ASB, Antier CEO and Founder Vikram R. Singh said, “By establishing industry-academia linkages to create a flourishing business ecosystem in Punjab in collaboration with the government, private enterprises and colleges, we want to make the most of the immense employment generation potential of blockchain by providing trained manpower. We aim to build a base of the largest number of blockchain engineers in Punjab for the next 10 years, and we have all the expertise and infrastructure to accomplish this,” said Vikram.

The F60Day Program will not only convert any Web 2.0 engineer into a Web 3.0-ready engineer within two months through a proven model currently operational in Antier, but will also help in attracting foreign IT companies to Punjab. “There are 174 Engineering colleges in Punjab, including 148 private and 26 public colleges, and we are open to collaborating with all those who want to avail our services to achieve optimum results. To begin with, blockchain should be made a part of the curriculum as a specialisation in all technical colleges across the state,” Vikram said.

The availability of talent is the key differentiator for the booming tech industry in Tier1 cities. Whenever a multinational sets up its base in any region, not only does it improve the financial status of people and advance the economic growth of that region, but also brings along world-class tools to train resources in terms of aptitude and attitude.

Vikram maintained that blockchain can create so many jobs in Punjab that its youth would no longer have to go out in search of better avenues. “While 1 lakh students migrate from Punjab every year for education, our industry-relevant courses will stem this tide and enhance the employability of tech graduates,” he said.

ASB will also create a positive impact on the startup culture in the state by providing solutions which are both saleable and scalable and enabling the smooth transition of new businesses from conventional technology platforms to blockchain-driven systems.

Antier had launched ASB as a pilot project internally four years ago by formulating the F60Day Program and establishing a training lab. ASB has already trained more than 500 resources, which form a part of Antier’s 600+ workforce.

Blockchain is the epitome of tech in the future, which is expected to create 10 million jobs in India by 2030.

ℹ️ Blockchain is a shared and immutable ledger that facilitates the process of tracking, tracing, trading and recording transactions and assets for businesses in a highly secure and transparent network. The future of technology, blockchain networks increase trust and reduce risk while allowing the trading and tracking of anything that holds value. Blockchain delivers many advantages to businesses, like cost savings as a result of increased speed, efficiency and automation. By significantly reducing paperwork and errors, it reduces overhead and transaction costs considerably and does away with the need for intermediaries to verify transactions. The blockchain ledger cannot be accessed by members without permission. Members in a blockchain network can control the information other members might see and the actions they might take.

About Antier:

Founded in 2011, Antier is a blockchain consultancy firm which has created a niche for itself by coming up with many scalable and saleable solutions that are poised to cause disruption in the fintech world. Its service basket includes blockchain development, metaverse development, mobile app development, smart contract development, DeFi, NFT development and digital marketing.

Having a global presence in the UK, US, Canada and India, Antier is empowering gaming companies to use blockchain and build better metaverse gaming products. The company has taken upon itself to help businesses adopt new technologies to stay ahead of the curve. Its rigorous research, design thinking-driven approach and unmatched solutions in strategy, consulting, technology and operations have created an innovative roadmap to enable the smooth transition of enterprises from conventional technology platforms to blockchain-driven systems.