The Adani Group will invest $15 billion to expand its airport network across India, targeting 200 million annual passengers by 2030.
MUMBAI: The Adani Group has unveiled plans to invest US$15 billion into expanding its airport infrastructure across India by 2030. The move positions the conglomerate to play a leading role in India’s aviation boom, with a goal to increase annual passenger capacity at its airports to 200 million over the next five years.
According to people familiar with the development, the group will undertake major upgrades at six key airports, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow, Guwahati and the under-construction Navi Mumbai airport. These upgrades will include the addition of new terminals, taxiways and, in Navi Mumbai’s case, a new runway, ahead of its expected opening on December 25.
The US$15 billion investment will be financed through a combination of debt and equity, with 70 percent raised via long-term debt over five years. The capacity boost, which excludes planned figures for Navi Mumbai and Guwahati, will increase Adani’s total airport capacity by more than 60 percent.
The expansion aligns with forecasts that predict India’s annual air passenger numbers will surpass 300 million by 2030. By increasing its capacity to two-thirds of that total, Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. strengthens its position as a major operator and bolsters prospects for a planned initial public offering (IPO) of its airport business.
Adani currently operates airports leased during the second wave of India’s privatisation programme in 2020, having taken over assets from the Airports Authority of India. It is now expected to be a top contender in upcoming bids as the Indian government plans to privatise 11 more airports.
With India targeting the development of 400 airports by 2047, up from 160 currently, the Adani Group’s move underscores its long-term commitment to shaping the future of Indian aviation.
