India’s Next Aviation Boom Will Be Handled by New Airports, Not Bigger Ones
Photo Credit: Navi Mumbai International Airport. Adani Airport Holdings
Skift Take
India is getting multiple airports in key hubs in response to traffic growth, but any major demand disruption in a newly growing India market could lead to this model falling apart.
India’s airport story is entering its next structural shift — and it’s not just about building more runways. By the end of this year, operational and upcoming alternate airports across key regions such as the Delhi NCR, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), and Goa are expected to offer an annual capacity of around 40 million passengers, according to a report by credit ratings firm Crisil Ratings.
The firm also noted that further expansion phases will push that capacity to around 50 million passengers annually by fiscal 2030. This growth will be driven by two factors, Crisil said, “pent-up demand, given the capacity constraints at the older airports, and expansion of catchment areas.”
Air traffic growth in India during the current fiscal year is expected to be muted: 0-1% according to Crisil’s estimates. This is due to weak demand last year following the Air India plane crash, airbase closures because of geopolitical tensions with Pakistan, and IndiGo�
