India Needs 3 National Carriers to Rule Global Skies: Adani Airports CEO
Adani Airports CEO Arun Bansal suggests India needs three massive national carriers to compete globally and handle 1.2 billion passengers by 2045.
India's aviation landscape is on the verge of a massive explosion in growth, and to keep pace, the country needs a powerhouse airline ecosystem. Arun Bansal, the CEO of Adani Airports, has proposed that India should have three national carriers of equal scale to effectively compete on the global stage and support the nation's soaring passenger demands.
Speaking at the Delhi Aviation India 2026 event, Bansal emphasized that while the country currently has strong players like IndiGo and Air India, a third giant is necessary to create a balanced and competitive domestic environment before the sector is fully opened to international competition.
The Strategy: Protect and Scale First
Bansal argued that India must prioritize the strength of its own airlines before embracing a broader "open-skies" approach. By protecting domestic carriers first, India can ensure its airlines achieve the necessary economies of scale and service standards required to fight for market share against international giants.
Currently, a significant number of Indian travelers rely on international hubs—particularly those in the Middle East—to reach destinations in the United States and Europe. To break this dependency and establish direct connectivity, Bansal believes the industry must focus on three critical pillars:
- Fleet Expansion: A massive increase in the number of aircraft.
- Infrastructure Growth: Expanding airport capacities to handle more flights.
- Regulatory Evolution: Implementing necessary policy changes to facilitate growth.
A Staggering Forecast: 1.2 Billion Passengers
The urgency behind this proposal is driven by breathtaking growth projections. According to Bansal, passenger traffic in India is expected to increase nearly fourfold. The current traffic of approximately 300 million passengers is forecasted to skyrocket to between 1.1 and 1.2 billion by 2040-45.
Adani Airports' Multi-Billion Dollar Blueprint
To support this tidal wave of travelers, Adani Airports is preparing a massive infrastructure offensive. The company has announced plans to invest USD 10-11 billion over the next seven years. This investment will be spread across airport infrastructure, city-side development, and non-aeronautical business ventures.
Scaling the Passenger Base
Adani Airports currently manages around 100 million passengers across its platform, but the goal is to triple this figure to 300 million within the next decade. To achieve this, the company is focusing on several key projects:
- Navi Mumbai Airport: Phase 2 is being accelerated, with a target capacity of 50 million passengers by 2030.
- Mumbai Airport: The redevelopment of Terminal 1 is expected to push the combined capacity of the city's terminals from 55 million to nearly 65 million passengers.
- Privatization: The company intends to participate in the government's upcoming privatization round involving 11 airports.
While the company is keeping a close eye on global opportunities, Bansal made it clear that the primary focus remains on the immense growth potential within India, with international expansion remaining a secondary consideration unless a uniquely attractive opportunity presents itself.