India Targets Up to 350 Airports by 2047, Civil Aviation Minister Says

India plans to significantly expand its airport infrastructure over the next two decades, targeting up to 350 airports by 2047, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu told delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Currently, India’s civil aviation system comprises more than 150 airports, including domestic, international and regional facilities. The minister’s statement at Davos reiterated a long-term objective to deepen connectivity across the country and to align airport capacity with projected growth in passenger traffic, cargo demand and tourism flows. Expanded airport infrastructure is seen as critical to supporting India’s goal of becoming a major global aviation hub.

The envisioned expansion to as many as 350 airports by 2047 reflects policy ambitions tied to economic development and inclusivity. India’s rapid passenger growth — both domestic and international — has strained existing hub capacity at major gateways such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, underscoring the need for greater airport penetration in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Airport infrastructure plays a central role in facilitating economic connectivity, enabling mobility for regional businesses, enhancing tourism access and underpinning supply chains that depend on air cargo. India’s long-term planning includes both greenfield airport development and upgrades to existing aerodromes under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) regional connectivity scheme, which has already stimulated scheduled service to many secondary airports.

Government support for airports is also tied to financing models that include public–private partnerships (PPPs), viability gap funding and targeted incentives for airlines to initiate routes to smaller cities. Airlines, in turn, look to airport investments as enabling factors for network expansion, crew planning, and fleet deployment, particularly as India’s carriers operate large narrowbody fleets across dense domestic and international markets.

Infrastructure planners note that doubling the number of operational airports will require significant investment in runways, air traffic control systems, passenger terminals, ground services and cargo handling capabilities. It also involves coordinated airspace modernisation, regulatory compliance and alignment with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety and security standards.

Expanding the airport network to 350 facilities by 2047 is consistent with India’s broader economic and transport strategies, which encompass digital connectivity, multimodal logistics corridors and urban-regional development plans. Improved airport connectivity aims to reduce travel time between distant regions, support business travel, enhance access for medical and educational travel, and increase India’s share of global aviation traffic.

The aviation ministry’s long-range blueprint also anticipates the integration of sustainability principles into airport planning, including energy-efficient terminal design, electrified ground support equipment and low-emission transport links to terminal facilities. India’s National Civil Aviation Policy outlines the need to balance rapid capacity expansion with environmental stewardship, especially around sensitive airfield environments.

Aviation analysts say that managing a network of 350 airports will require dynamic slot coordination, upgraded air traffic management systems and robust safety oversight frameworks. With airlines already grappling with pilot duty-time regulations, crew rostering and aircraft utilisation challenges in a growing market, expanded airport options could provide scheduling flexibility and reduce congestion at over-saturated hubs.

Although the 2047 target is aspirational, it signals the government’s intent to strengthen civil aviation’s role in national infrastructure. Progress toward this goal will be closely watched by airlines, investors, airport operators and regional development agencies as India’s aviation sector continues to respond to rising domestic and international travel demand.

The minister’s comments at Davos align with ongoing policy measures designed to attract investment into the aviation ecosystem, streamline airport clearances, and enhance India’s aviation competitiveness on a global stage. India’s airport expansion agenda will likely remain a key structural theme for the sector in the years ahead, shaping how the country connects internally and with the world.