Adani Group's Ambitious Airport Expansion Plan

Operating seven airports in India, including the Mumbai CSMIA, and with Navi Mumbai set to join this October, the Adani group is set to invest close to Rs 1 lakh crore in its airport business over the next five years. This significant capital expenditure will cover both infrastructure and real estate development.

Focus on Domestic Growth

Jeet Adani, the conglomerate’s airport head and son of patriarch Gautam Adani, emphasized the immense potential in India, stating there are no immediate plans to expand the airport business abroad. "We see too much opportunity in India and don’t want to distract ourselves by going abroad," Adani mentioned.

Key Projects and Investments

The group plans to build new terminals at airports in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Thiruvananthapuram within the next four years, alongside expanding the recently-built terminal in Lucknow. A new terminal at Guwahati is ready and will be commissioned this October-November.

Navi Mumbai International Airport: A Flagship Project

The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is a cornerstone of Adani's expansion, with phases I and II combined to open with an initial capacity of 2 crore passengers annually. The project represents a capex of Rs 19,000 crore, with plans for further expansion to ultimately reach a capacity of 9 crore passengers annually at a total investment of Rs 1 lakh crore.

Funding and Future Outlook

Adani revealed that equity for these projects would be self-funded, with lenders already expressing willingness to participate in refinancing NMIA. The group's strategy involves pre-investing in infrastructure, banking on the growth of the aviation sector and the economy of the cities they operate in.