Navi Mumbai Airport to open on 25-Dec-2025, Adani Group to extend its investment there

The 'race' (a slow, ponderous one) has been on in India between the two main cities of Delhi, the capital, and Mumbai, the main commercial one, to build a second airport and thus to become the first Indian city to have one.

For now it looks like Mumbai is the winner as its Navi ('new') Mumbai Airport, a public-private partnership, is slated to open on 25-Dec-2025 unless Delhi somehow comes up on the rails and pips it at the post.

While airlines aren't exactly queuing up to operate there (Air India is yet to put in an appearance but Air India Express will do so) at least three airlines including IndiGo, now the largest carrier domestically, will be there from day one.

That speaks well for its prospects and the envisaged development schedule is a rapid one culminating in a 90mppa throughput and, astonishingly 50 million capacity by mid-2029.

That begs the question of which will be the main Mumbai airport in a few years time because the existing airport cannot be expanded at anything like that rate.

Moreover, IATA projects 5.6% average annual growth rate in India over the next twenty years meaning an additional 425 million annual passenger journeys expected by 2044 which would nearly triple 2024 levels while air passenger journeys per 1,000 inhabitants will rise from 148 to 258 trips.

It also sheds light on the contribution of Adani Airports, the main private sector airport operator now, which will manage both airports and which is prepared to shovel even more cash into the sector, focusing on its existing Indian airports.