Key Points:
- Adani airport expansion involves a $15 billion push to boost capacity to 200 million with major upgrades across key airports.
- The project is backed by debt-equity funding and aligns with Adani’s plan to list its airport unit.
- The FSTC acquisition strengthens Adani’s aviation ecosystem amid rising demand for pilot training.
Adani Group plans to invest $15 billion through 2030 to expand its airport network and raise annual passenger capacity to 200 million as India’s aviation market grows rapidly, according to reports.
Major Airports Undergo Capacity Upgrades
The group is preparing large-scale upgrades across key airports, focusing on new terminals, additional taxiways and expanded infrastructure. The upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport, scheduled to open on December 25, will receive a new runway as part of the Adani airport expansion plans.
Upgrades are also planned at airports in Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram. A senior aviation analyst familiar with the plan said the improvements aim to meet rising domestic and international travel demand. “India’s aviation growth is among the fastest in the world, and capacity enhancement is essential to prevent long-term bottlenecks,” the analyst said.
Debt, Equity Fuel Multi-Year Expansion
Bloomberg cited sources saying about seventy percent of the funding will come from debt over five years, with the remainder from equity infusion.
India’s annual passenger volume is projected to more than double to 300 million by 2030. By preparing to handle two-thirds of that figure, Adani is positioning itself as a major operator in the expanding sector through the ongoing Adani airport expansion.
A company representative, speaking on background, said the expansion supports the group’s long-term plan to list its airport unit. “The strategy is aligned with market growth and our objective to build a sustainable portfolio of airports,” the representative said.
Flight Training Deal Strengthens Aviation Strategy
The Adani airport expansion coincides with Adani’s broader aviation moves. On November 27, Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Ltd and Prime Aero Services LLP announced agreements to acquire FSTC, India’s largest independent flight training and simulation firm valued at Rs 820 crore.
FSTC operates full-flight simulators and training aircraft in Gurugram and Hyderabad, preparing pilots for civil and defence aviation. India expects to add more than 1,500 aircraft in the coming years, underscoring the need for training capacity.
Adani Defence CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said the deal advances the company’s integrated aviation plan. “This acquisition strengthens our ability to build an aviation ecosystem that includes civil MRO, general aviation, defence MRO and full-stack pilot training,” he said in the announcement.
India’s aviation roadmap targets 400 airports by 2047, and Adani Airport Holdings is expected to play a central role in that expansion as new capacity under the Adani airport expansion comes online.
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