Prime minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate key infrastructure projects in Maharashtra on October 8–9 including the much-anticipated Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). He will also host his UK counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, who is visiting India for the first time since taking office.
After conducting a formal walkthrough of the newly constructed NMIA, PM Modi will formally inaugurate the airport in the afternoon on October 8. He will also unveil a slew of development initiatives across Mumbai and address a public gathering on the occasion.
The NMIA, developed under a public–private partnership (PPP), is India's largest greenfield airport project with an estimated cost of Rs 19,650 crore. Spread over 1160 hectares, the airport is designed to handle 90 million passengers and over 3 million tonnes of cargo annually once fully operational.
NMIA will function as the second international airport for the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR), in tandem with the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to reduce congestion and improve air connectivity.
The airport features several firsts like an automated people mover system for inter-terminal transport, dedicated infrastructure for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), 47 MW solar power generation and water taxi connectivity- a first for any Indian airport
The PM will also inaugurate phase 2B of Mumbai Metro Line-3, connecting Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, completing the 33.5-km Aqua Line from Aarey to Cuffe Parade. The underground metro is constructed at total cost of Rs 37,270 crore and has 27 underground stations with key stops at Fort, Marine Drive, Mantralaya, BSE, RBI, at Nariman Point . Its expected ridership is 13 lakh daily commuters.
Mumbai’s first fully underground metro line will offer faster, congestion-free travel, integrating existing suburban rail, other metro lines and monorail networks.
The Prime Minister will also launch the ‘Mumbai One’ app, a unified digital platform for commuters using any of 11 public transport operators including Metro, Monorail, Suburban Railways, and various municipal bus services.
Mumbai One app has features like seamless digital ticketing, real-time updates on routes and delays, multimodal journey planning and single dynamic ticketing and safety features like SOS alerts.
Additionally , Modi will also roll out the Short-Term Employability Program (STEP), a skill development scheme targeting students in 400 ITIs and 150 technical high schools across Maharashtra.
With 2,500 new training batches, the program focuses on industry-relevant skills such as AI, IoT, electric vehicles, solar tech, and additive manufacturing, including 364 exclusive batches for women.
On October 9, Modi will host UK PM Sir Keir Starmer in Mumbai. The visit is part of Starmer’s first official trip to India and includes a series of high-level engagements.
The two leaders will attend a CEO Forum at Jio World Centre in the afternoon, followed by participation in the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest (GFF), where they will deliver keynote addresses.
The discussions will revolve around the India–UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The visit aims to deepen cooperation in trade, innovation, security, climate action, and education under the joint ‘Vision 2035’ roadmap.
The Global Fintech Fest 2025 being held in Mumbai, is expected to draw over 100,000 participants from 75+ countries. This year’s theme, “Empowering Finance for a Better World”, focuses on the intersection of AI, innovation, and financial inclusion.
