Prime Highlight
- Adani Group will invest $15 billion over the next five years to expand its airport network and boost annual passenger capacity to 200 million.
- The expansion supports the planned listing of Adani’s airports unit and positions the group as a key force in India’s rapidly growing aviation sector.
Key Facts
- About 70% of the $15 billion investment will be funded through debt, with the remainder through equity.
- The upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport is set to open on December 25, alongside capacity expansions at airports in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow, and Guwahati.
Background
Adani Group plans to expand its airport operations and will invest $15 billion over the next five years. The move aims to boost the annual passenger-handling capacity of its airport network to 200 million, strengthening its role in India’s fast-growing aviation sector and supporting the planned listing of its airports unit.
People familiar with the plan said the expansion includes building new terminals, adding taxiways, and completing a new runway at the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, which is scheduled to open on December 25. The group will also expand capacity at airports in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow, and Guwahati.
Adani Group will fund about 70% of the investment through debt and the rest through equity. The upgrades match India’s growing air travel demand, as passenger numbers are expected to more than double to 300 million a year by 2030. By reaching two-thirds of this number, Adani aims to become a key driver of the country’s aviation growth.
The planned expansion will increase total passenger capacity by more than 60%, excluding the 20 million capacity of Navi Mumbai airport and 11 million from the newly upgraded Guwahati airport.
The airports under focus were leased to Adani during India’s second privatization phase in 2020. The government plans to privatize 11 more airports, and industry leaders expect Adani Airport Holdings and GMR Airports to be the main bidders in the next round.
India is building a second airport in Delhi and plans to develop 400 airports across the country by 2047, showing major growth in aviation infrastructure.
