GIFT City Eyes $50 bn Aviation Deals And 1,100 Leased Aircraft By 2030

13 May 2026 CW Team

If those projections materialise, the market could expand tenfold from about $5 billion to an estimated $50 billion (bn), with most leasing activity routed through GIFT City instead of overseas centres such as Ireland and Singapore. India is already the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market and airlines are engaged in a major aircraft acquisition drive, with more than 1,600 aircraft on order. Total purchases over the next decade are expected to exceed 2,000 aircraft, representing deals worth over $100 billion.

At present nearly 75 per cent of India’s commercial fleet, around 700 aircraft, is leased from foreign lessors, mainly based in Ireland, producing a significant foreign exchange outflow. Indian carriers are projected to pay between $4 billion and $5 billion annually in lease rentals over the next decade, underpinning the case for onshore leasing services. Regulators and industry participants are pursuing favourable taxation and regulatory measures to attract origination, structuring and servicing of leases to GIFT IFSC.

IFSCA executives and ministers signalled determination to scale the centre into a full service leasing hub where transactions originate and are managed domestically. The Civil Aviation Minister underlined the need to shift primary financing and structuring onshore and the Gujarat chief minister described GIFT City as a crucial pillar of financial and aviation strategy. Officials also indicated that the investigation into the AI171 crash is in its final stages and that a report is expected within a month, with a special cell coordinating compensation for affected families.

India’s aviation finance ambitions are coalescing at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, where the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) has recorded a 30 per cent rise in aircraft leasing activity over the past year. Officials are targeting annual growth of nearly 100 per cent and expect leased aviation assets to rise from around 200 aircraft to nearly 1,100 by 2030. The IFSC intends to develop a domestic leasing ecosystem to retain transactions that are currently routed overseas. If those projections materialise, the market could expand tenfold from about $5 billion to an estimated $50 billion (bn), with most leasing activity routed through GIFT City instead of overseas centres such as Ireland and Singapore. India is already the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market and airlines are engaged in a major aircraft acquisition drive, with more than 1,600 aircraft on order. Total purchases over the next decade are expected to exceed 2,000 aircraft, representing deals worth over $100 billion. At present nearly 75 per cent of India’s commercial fleet, around 700 aircraft, is leased from foreign lessors, mainly based in Ireland, producing a significant foreign exchange outflow. Indian carriers are projected to pay between $4 billion and $5 billion annually in lease rentals over the next decade, underpinning the case for onshore leasing services. Regulators and industry participants are pursuing favourable taxation and regulatory measures to attract origination, structuring and servicing of leases to GIFT IFSC. IFSCA executives and ministers signalled determination to scale the centre into a full service leasing hub where transactions originate and are managed domestically. The Civil Aviation Minister underlined the need to shift primary financing and structuring onshore and the Gujarat chief minister described GIFT City as a crucial pillar of financial and aviation strategy. Officials also indicated that the investigation into the AI171 crash is in its final stages and that a report is expected within a month, with a special cell coordinating compensation for affected families.

Infrastructure Energy

05 Jun 2026

India Adds Record 44.61 GW Solar Capacity in FY2026

India’s solar sector reached a milestone in FY2026, with cumulative installed capacity crossing 150 GW and annual additions hitting a record 44.61 GW, exceeding the government target of 34 GW and nearly doubling FY2025’s 23.83 GW. Distributed Renewable Energy contributed 16.3 GW, while PPA and C&I segments accounted for 34 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.India has risen from 9th globally in 2015 to 3rd in cumulative solar capacity by 2025 and is set to become the world’s second-largest solar market in annual installations in 2026. Seven states, led by Rajasthan and Gujarat, ac..

Real Estate

05 Jun 2026

Abhee Ventures unveils Scottish-themed 45-acre township in Bengaluru

Abhee Ventures, a leading South Indian real estate developer, has announced “Codename New Dimension,” a 45-acre Scottish-themed residential township at Gunjur on Whitefield–Sarjapur Road, Bengaluru. Strategically located between Whitefield and Sarjapur Road, Gunjur benefits from strong connectivity to the Outer Ring Road IT corridor, ITPL, EPIP, the upcoming Dommasandra Metro Station, and the proposed SWIFT City and Peripheral Ring Road.The township, designed in collaboration with London-based UHA London and India’s RSP Architects, offers low-density living with 85 per cent open spaces..

Infrastructure Urban

05 Jun 2026

Hindalco unveils Eternia experience centre for high-performance aluminium windows

Hindalco Industries, the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has launched its Eternia experience centre in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, highlighting its high-performance aluminium window systems designed for India’s evolving construction sector. The company is also expanding its manufacturing footprint in North India with a new Bilaspur facility.Eternia has emerged as one of the fastest-growing brands in system aluminium windows, registering nearly 65 per cent CAGR over the last three years. With a nationwide network of 170+ channel partners across 100+ cities, the brand serves homeowners..