Adani Group To Invest ₹1 Lakh Crore In Airports

Adani Group to Invest ₹1 Lakh Crore in Airports Over Next 5 Years, Bets Big on India’s Aviation Boom

The Adani Group has announced plans to invest a massive ₹1 lakh crore in its airports business over the next five years, underscoring its strong conviction in the long-term growth potential of India’s aviation sector, which is expected to expand at 15–16 per cent annually.

The announcement was made by Jeet Adani, Director of Adani Airports and younger son of billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, ahead of the start of commercial operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport, scheduled for December 25.

Adani Group Airports Investment Plan

Speaking to PTI, Jeet Adani said:

“On the airport side, ₹1 lakh crore in the next five years.”

The investment will be directed towards a diverse portfolio of metro and regional airports, expansion of existing facilities, and development of new aviation-linked infrastructure. The group also plans to aggressively participate in the next round of airport privatisation bids.

“As a staunch believer, bullish believer in this industry, we would be 100 per cent very aggressive in the next round of bidding for all 11 airports,” Adani said.

Bullish Outlook on India’s Aviation Growth

Jeet Adani highlighted the structural growth opportunity in Indian aviation, citing low per-capita air travel compared to global peers such as China.

“The Indian aviation industry as a whole can continuously grow at 15–16 per cent, mid-teens, year-on-year for the next 10–15 years,” he said.

He added that even if India merely reaches China’s current per-capita air travel levels, the aviation ecosystem would need to expand multiple times across cities and regions, making the growth runway exceptionally long.

Navi Mumbai Airport to Ease Capacity Constraints

Calling the commissioning of Navi Mumbai International Airport a landmark event, Adani said it would significantly ease congestion at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which has faced supply constraints for years.

“Mumbai Airport was supply constrained from 2016 onwards and wasn’t able to service the additional demand that was coming through. With the start of Navi Mumbai Airport, we will finally see some relaxation there,” he noted.

He further added that Navi Mumbai Airport still has four times growth potential beyond its initial phase, making it a crucial asset for India’s aviation future.

Expansion Beyond Core Airport Infrastructure

Adani Airports is also expanding into ancillary aviation services, including:

Capacity upgrades and phased expansions at existing airports
Non-aeronautical retail and commercial developments
City-side infrastructure projects
Aircraft services with dual-use (civil and defence) applications

“We have separated the two businesses. One is the airport infrastructure and the other one is the aircraft services business,” Adani explained.

While investments in MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) and Flight Simulation Training Centres (FSTC) are still being finalised, the group remains committed to building depth and expertise in these verticals.

Adani Airports: Market Leadership

Through its airport arm Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), the Adani Group is currently India’s largest airport infrastructure operator. The company accounts for:

Around 23% of total passenger traffic, and
Nearly 33% of cargo traffic across India

In the 2019 airport privatisation round, Adani Group won six airports — Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, and Mangaluru — and later acquired Mumbai International Airport from the GVK Group in 2021.

Upcoming Airport Privatisation Opportunities

The Civil Aviation Ministry has identified 11 airports, including six smaller ones, for operation under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Additionally, the National Monetisation Pipeline envisions leasing 25 Airports Authority of India-operated airports between 2022 and 2025, presenting significant growth opportunities for private operators like Adani Airports.

Conclusion

With a planned ₹1 lakh crore investment, aggressive bidding strategy, and a bullish outlook on passenger and cargo growth, the Adani Group is positioning itself as a long-term powerhouse in India’s aviation infrastructure sector. The commissioning of Navi Mumbai Airport marks a major milestone, while upcoming privatisation rounds could further strengthen Adani’s dominance in the airport business.

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