The Union Cabinet on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) granted international airport status to the airport in the temple city of Madurai.

Reacting to the decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the move would strengthen the region’s global connectivity. “This will boost tourism, trade and economic opportunities across southern Tamil Nadu in particular. Madurai, a city celebrated for its timeless culture and spiritual heritage, is set to strengthen its global connect,” Mr. Modi said in a post on X.

An international airport is officially designated to handle scheduled international passenger and cargo flights and is equipped with full facilities such as immigration, customs and security checks.

Until now, Madurai Airport was classified as a customs airport, meaning it had customs clearance facilities but did not have full authorisation for regular scheduled international operations, although it could handle limited international flights. 

The new status is expected to allow more regular international routes and easier approvals for foreign airlines.