Adani Group Eyes Aviation Growth, Plans ₹1 Lakh Crore Investment, Aggressive Bids for 11 Airports

The Adani Group is making a significant bet on the future of Indian aviation, with plans to invest ₹1 lakh crore in its airport business over the next five years. This commitment reflects the group's confidence in the sector's robust and sustained growth, according to Jeet Adani, director of Adani Airports.

Speaking ahead of the commercial launch of Navi Mumbai International Airport on December 25th, Adani told PTI that the group anticipates the Indian aviation ecosystem to expand by 15-16% annually for the next decade or more. He highlighted India's lower per-capita air travel compared to China, suggesting substantial room for growth across multiple cities to reach similar levels.

Navi Mumbai International Airport, a project developed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (in which the Adani Group holds a 74% stake), represents a major expansion for the group. The initial phase of the airport, built at a cost of ₹19,650 crore, will handle 20 million passengers annually, with plans to eventually scale up to a capacity of 90 million passengers.

Jeet Adani noted that the new airport will alleviate pressure on Mumbai's existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which has been operating under capacity constraints. He stated that the commissioning of Navi Mumbai Airport would provide much-needed relief to the strained infrastructure. He also emphasized the project's considerable future growth potential.

Currently, the Adani Group operates six other airports in Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, and Mangaluru, in addition to having acquired Mumbai airport from the GVK Group. The group, according to Jeet Adani, intends to bid “very aggressively” for all 11 airports slated for privatization in the next round.

While the group is focused on expanding its expertise, investments in aircraft services like MRO and flight simulation training centers are still under consideration. Adani stated it was too early to commit to specific figures. Through Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, the group has become India’s largest airport infrastructure operator, managing approximately 23% of passenger traffic and 33% of cargo movement nationwide. The company is diversifying its revenue streams by expanding non-aeronautical services and city-side developments, alongside capacity upgrades.