Adani Ports Planned ₹60,000 Crore Game-Changer Investment Airport Evolution in the 10 Years

Adani Group, led by Karan Adani, is planning to invest a whopping ₹60,000 crores in its airport business over the next 10 years. This investment, separate from the ₹18,000 crores already spent on the initial phase of Navi Mumbai airport, will cover runways, terminals, and city-side infrastructure like hotels and malls. The group aims to transform its airports into major international hubs, expecting a shift in air travel patterns.

Karan Adani believes that with their airport network, they can collaborate with airlines to enhance direct domestic connectivity. The Adani Group, which currently operates eight airports, including Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, intends to list its airport business once it becomes profitable. They won the rights to operate six airports in 2019 and are gearing up to accommodate 250 to 300 million passengers by 2040.

According to Adani Airport Holdings CEO Arun Bansal, the plan is based on the anticipation of a significant increase in air travel, with the goal to serve over a billion passengers in the future. Investors are closely watching the airport vertical, as it is considered a key part of the Adani Group’s consumer-focused business. In the first nine months of FY24, airport revenue increased by 35%, reaching ₹5,748.7 crores.

The group recently inaugurated a new terminal in Lucknow, capable of handling 80 million passengers annually, with plans for further expansion at Navi Mumbai and Guwahati airports. Adani emphasizes the importance of building top-notch infrastructure and technology for the airport business. Once achieved, they intend to list it separately on the stock exchanges, although no specific timeline has been provided. Aviation consultancy firm CAPA sees the current airport expansion plans in India as ensuring sufficient capacity in the near to medium term, considering the emergence of world-class airports and a stable airline system.