India, April 7 -- Even before the first commercial flight takes off from Halwara airport, a credit war has broken out between the Centre and the Punjab government.

While the terminal was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, commercial operations are set to begin on May 15, 2026. This pre-launch phase has been marred by conflicting announcements from Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and Punjab cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora, leaving the public guessing about the actual schedule.

The dispute centres on how Air India will connect Ludhiana to the national capital.

On April 6, Bittu claimed a victory for the local industry by announcing a "revised schedule". He said the morning flight will depart New Delhi at...