Three Northeastern states of India will be connected with selected international destinations namely Bangkok, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Yangon, Hanoi, Mandalay, Kunming and Chittagong.

"The Civil Aviation Ministry has launched the International Air Connectivity Scheme (IACS) scheme (International Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) with an objective to enhance air connectivity from certain states of the country with selected international destinations to promote socio-economic growth.

The state governments of Assam, Manipur and Tripura have identified routes connecting Guwahati, Imphal and Agartala with selected international destinations viz. Bangkok, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Yangon, Hanoi, Mandalay, Kunming and Chittagong," Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation General V K Singh (Retd) informed in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Singh, in his written reply, further informed that there are two international airports in the Northeast region - at Guwahati and Imphal - which are operated by the Guwahati International Airport Limited (GIAL) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) respectively.

GIAL and AAI both have undertaken construction of New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB) and other associated works at their respective airports to improve services including, increase in passenger handling capacity. The AAI has taken up the  development works to boost international connectivity to/from the Northeastern region, the minister informed. 

"The new terminal building at Agartala Airport has been designed as an integrated terminal keeping in view the future requirement for international operation. Also, the construction of a New Integrated Terminal Building for 2.4 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA), at a cost of around Rs 500 crore has been undertaken at the Imphal Airport to augment passenger handling capacity, which has been declared as an International airport," Singh added.