With ₹20,000 cr plan, Adani eyes global-style airport business hubs

Adani Airports to invest ₹20,000 crore in city-side projects, with 70 per cent of the funds allocated to Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports as part of its multi-phase expansion strategy

Adani Airports is set to invest ₹20,000 crore ($2.4 billion) to develop commercial spaces around its airports, aiming to boost earnings from non-aeronautical sources, according to a report by The Economic Times. Nearly 70 per cent of this spend is focused on the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports.

 

Why it matters

The group wants to flip the traditional airport revenue model by 2030 — making non-aeronautical business like retail, hospitality, and real estate the primary source of income. This shift is designed to make the business more resilient to fluctuations in air traffic.

 

City-side development plan

• A major part of the investment is going into city-side developments — projects near airports that include hotels, offices, and a mall

 

• Navi Mumbai International Airport will be the flagship, with a 240-acre project site

• First phase, spanning about 50 acres, will include five hotels (1,000 keys total), a large shopping mall, three office towers, and some service apartments (as hotel extensions)   

 

By the numbers

• ₹2,715 crore: Revenue from the airport business in Q1FY26 — up 25 per cent Y-o-Y

• $750 million: Raised in June via external commercial borrowings

• ₹400 million: Portion of funds used to refinance existing debt

• $30 billion: Planned borrowings across Adani Group to fund future investments

 

Global inspirations

The news report said that Adani’s airport city model draws from international examples like:

• Schiphol (Amsterdam)

• Sydney Airport

• Zurich’s ‘The Circle’   

 

What’s next for the business hub?

• The first phase of Navi Mumbai’s city-side project is expected to be completed by 2031

• Talks are ongoing with top five global hotel chains to manage the upcoming properties

• An IPO for Adani Airports is on the cards by 2027 as part of a broader $100 billion capex strategy

 

Development around the existing Mumbai airport is limited due to restrictions under the Airports Authority of India Act, making Navi Mumbai a more flexible and scalable site under a fresh concession model.