The first and second phases of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) — comprising Terminal 1 and a runway — will be inaugurated in September this year, built with a capital investment of Rs 200 billion. The Adani Group will invest an additional Rs 300 billion in the airport’s third phase, which will see the construction of Terminal 2 and a second runway by 2029, according to Adani Airports Holdings Ltd (AAHL).

In its initial phase, the greenfield facility will be equipped to handle 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA). A cargo terminal, expected to become operational in 2026, is also part of this stage. On completion of the third phase, NMIA will have capacity for 50 MPPA.

AAHL Chief Financial Officer (Airport Business) Arun Bansal said enabling works for Phase 3 have already been carried out alongside the earlier phases. The upcoming stage will include Terminal 2, a second runway, automated people movers, and metro connectivity. Construction is set to begin within six to nine months of the inauguration of Phases 1 and 2 and is expected to take three and a half years.

Once all five phases are completed, NMIA will feature two runways, four terminals, and the capacity to handle 90 MPPA, according to Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), the special purpose vehicle developing and operating the airport. Adani Group holds a 74 per cent stake in NMIAL, while the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) owns the remaining 26 per cent.

Bansal said the aerodrome licence is expected from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) by the end of this month, following recent inspections. Commercial operations will begin with both domestic and international flights, with IndiGo and Akasa Air already committed. Discussions are underway with other carriers to join.

Adani Group also owns and operates Mumbai International Airport in a 74:26 partnership with the Airports Authority of India. Terminal 1 of Mumbai airport will be fully closed in mid-2029, coinciding with the opening of NMIA’s Terminal 2, to avoid congestion at T2.

NMIA’s runway was successfully tested last December with an IndiGo aircraft landing on runway 26/08, following calibration of the Instrument Landing System in November and a test landing by the Indian Air Force in October 2024.