NEW DELHI: Less than a month after being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Noida International Airport (NIA) may have to replace its foreign CEO with an Indian one before it can start flight operations.The Union home ministry is learnt to have rejected Bureau of Civil Aviation Security’s (BCAS) proposal for amending the current rule that disallows expats from being CEOs of a greenfield airport, sources said. This decision has also been conveyed to the civil aviation ministry.
From inception stage, NIA has been headed by its Swiss CEO Christoph Schnellmann, an old India hand of concessionaire Zurich AG who had also played a key role in the development of Bengaluru airport. But the home ministry’s stance means NIA stakeholders will have to find an Indian CEO at the earliest so that the airport, already significantly delayed, does not see a further lag in getting operational.Asked for a comment, an NIA spokesperson said: “It is a matter of great pride for us that the Prime Minister inaugurated NIA (on March 28, 2026), marking a significant milestone in the project’s journey. We are working closely with BCAS to secure approval for the Aerodrome Security Programme.” Aerodrome Security Programme is the security clearance that NIA needs before it can launch passenger flight operations. “We will coordinate with all stakeholders to finalise timelines for the commencement of commercial operations. Our efforts are focused on ensuring that all systems, processes, and personnel are fully aligned to deliver a safe, efficient, and seamless start of operations,” the spokesperson added. NIA did not say if it had begun looking for Schnellmann’s successor. Aviation industry insiders describe the rule barring expats from being CEOs of greenfield airports as “archaic” and not agreeing to amend the same as a “retrograde step” that will not exactly make a case for attracting foreign investment to the sector in India. “These aviation security (Avsec) rules date back to the time when almost all airports in India were defence airports with a civilian enclave. Now obviously, an IAF or Navy-run airport can’t have a foreign CEO. But today, this rule has no relevance and should have been amended as part of ease of doing business and altering archaic rules,” said an industry insider. Aviation insiders also pointed out that there are no such restrictions for airline CEOs. IndiGo’s previous and incoming CEOs are expats and so is Air India’s outgoing CEO. “A number of Indian-origin people are heading key tech firms in the US that have a significant play in national security there. There should be due security clearance for anyone being chosen for such positions with restrictions on nationals of countries that are from time to time deemed hostile to India by govt,” said an aviation insider. The Tata Group had chosen a Turkish national and a confidante of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to be Air India’s CEO soon after acquiring the airline in Jan 2022. Given Turkiye’s not exactly friendly relations with India, this person did not get security clearance and had to refuse the offer. Subsequently, the Tatas chose an expat with friendlier credentials – a New Zealander working with Singapore Airlines Group.
