In a major push to enhance India's aviation infrastructure, the government is planning to undertake 50 airport development projects—including new airports and upgrades to existing ones—over the next five years.

Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said on Wednesday that these efforts are part of a broader, holistic strategy to scale up the country's aviation ecosystem. This includes supporting airlines, expanding flying training organisations, and accelerating infrastructure growth.

“Land for airports is provided by respective state governments, and we have a well-oiled mechanism in place for land acquisition,” Vualnam noted, speaking at the ACI Asia Pacific & Middle East Regional Assembly in New Delhi.

India currently has 159 operational airports—more than double the 74 it had in 2014. The expansion will be driven through public-private partnerships (PPP), which the government sees as central to future airport development.

The Airports Council International (ACI), which represents airports across regions, has projected that USD 240 billion (approximately Rs 20 trillion) in capital expenditure will be required for brownfield and greenfield airport projects across the Asia Pacific and Middle East.

With India ranking among the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world, these planned investments aim to not only meet rising passenger demand but also position the country as a global aviation hub.