The purchase by Switzerland-based MSC, the world's largest container shipping company, represents the "single largest foreign private investment in Indian port infrastructure," said Adani.

The inaugural service, Flight AI1111, departed from Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at 9:23 am, carrying passengers who will connect through Delhi to international destinations including Dubai, Colombo, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kathmandu and Phuket