India Targets 400 Airports by 2047 as Demand Outpaces Capacity
Naidu said revenue passenger kilometres had increased at a compound annual growth rate of 7.3 per cent over the past decade, while available seat kilometres had risen by 7 per cent. The difference indicates that passenger demand is expanding faster than the number of seats being added by airlines.
India had 74 operational airports in 2014. Naidu said 66 airports were currently under development and another 100 were planned over the next decade. The pace of expansion means that a new airport or terminal is being added approximately every 40 to 45 days, supporting the country’s ambition to become the world’s third-largest aviation market.
Regional connectivity has also expanded under the government’s UDAN scheme. Civil Aviation Secretary Sameer Kumar Sinha said the airport network had grown from 74 to 165, with more cities being brought into the aviation network. The government is also pursuing greater international connectivity through bilateral arrangements with key aviation partners.
Weekly air service capacity with Azerbaijan has increased from seven to 21 services, while the entitlement with Uzbekistan has risen from 18 to 28. India has shifted its arrangement with Indonesia from frequency-based entitlements to seat-based limits, allowing up to 15,000 seats in each direction.
Passenger traffic on several Asian routes has recorded strong growth over the past decade. Traffic between Hong Kong and Hyderabad and between Bengaluru and Bangkok doubled between Q2 2016 and Q2 2026, while traffic between Kuala Lumpur and Chennai more than doubled. Direct scheduled flights between India and China have also resumed, while data cited from Crisil showed that Indian aviation added 55 international routes in the past 15 months.