News & Milestones

First Successful Test Flight at Dholera International Airport

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) carried out the first successful test flight at Dholera International Airport on June 4, 2026. A calibration aircraft with registration VT-CNS touched down on the newly constructed runway at Navagam near Dholera SIR, marking the first aircraft landing at the airport since construction began.

The test flight validated runway readiness, approach procedures, and navigation systems. This is a critical milestone before commercial operations can begin. The airport is now on track for Phase 1 commercial operations, which will include cargo flights and limited passenger services connecting Dholera to major Indian cities.

Dholera International Airport is being built as the aviation backbone of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project. The airport will serve the 920-square-kilometer Special Investment Region and the wider Gujarat region, handling both cargo and passenger traffic. The successful test flight brings the airport one step closer to operational status, which will significantly improve connectivity for investors and businesses operating in Dholera SIR.

Tata Fab Civil Construction 50% Complete

Civil works at the Tata Electronics semiconductor fab in Dholera are approximately 50% complete. Cleanroom build-out and utility installation are underway alongside ASML tool procurement. Tata has begun initial workforce onboarding with hundreds of employees joining for early operations and tool qualification. The ₹91,000 crore project remains on track for first chips by late 2026.

Deputy CM Reviews Dholera SIR Progress

Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi visited Dholera on May 23, 2026 with senior officials to review industrial and social infrastructure progress. The visit covered the Tata semiconductor plant construction, ongoing trunk infrastructure under DMIC Phase-1, and residential development for incoming workforce. Gujarat is building approximately 1,500 homes for Tata semiconductor plant staff, indicating concrete workforce planning.

Tata Electronics Signs Strategic MoU with ASML for Dholera Fab

Tata Electronics signed a strategic MoU with ASML in The Hague on May 16, 2026. The deal confirms ASML will supply deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lithography systems for the Dholera semiconductor fab, covering nodes from 28nm to 110nm. The MoU also includes engineer training, talent development, and supply chain support. This is a critical milestone — ASML's lithography tools are the most advanced in the world, and securing this partnership de-risks the entire project. Tata confirmed first commercial chips are targeted for late 2026, with full commercial operations at 50,000 wafers per month by FY 2030.

SEZ Status Approved for Tata Semiconductor — 66 Hectares Notified

The Union Cabinet approved a 66-hectare Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for the Tata semiconductor facility in Dholera SIR. Along with SEZ status, inland container depot (ICD) permissions were granted, allowing the fab to handle cargo directly on site. This simplifies logistics for importing construction materials and semiconductor equipment, and provides tax benefits under India's SEZ framework. Dholera is now India's first semiconductor SEZ.

Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway Inaugurated by Prime Minister

The 108-kilometer Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 31, 2026. Built at a cost of approximately ₹4,500 crore, the 8-lane greenfield expressway cuts travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera from over 2 hours to roughly 40 minutes. This is India's first expressway built purely to serve a greenfield smart city. The expressway connects to the Dholera SIR Activation Area via dedicated interchanges, providing immediate road connectivity for investors and businesses.

Gujarat Budget 2026 — ₹610 Crore for Dholera Smart City

Gujarat's Budget 2026 allocated approximately ₹610 crore specifically for Dholera Smart City development. The budget reinforces funding for the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, Dholera International Airport, internal roads, logistics parks, utilities, and trunk infrastructure. This signals continued government commitment to accelerating Dholera's development alongside the private investment wave.

₹1,08,000+ Crore in Data Centre Investments Announced

Multiple hyperscale data centre projects have been announced for Dholera in 2026. L&T Vyom signed an MoU for a 250 MW green AI-ready data centre campus with ₹25,000 crore investment. Tillman Global is planning a hyperscale data centre campus at ₹83,000 crore. Jabil announced a ₹1,000 crore silicon photonics and electronics plant. Combined with the semiconductor ecosystem, Dholera is positioning as India's digital infrastructure hub.