India targets 100 new airports in a decade

India’s civil-aviation expansion gained fresh momentum with the government announcing plans to build 100 new airports over the next 10 years. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said the programme would require an estimated ₹28,840 crore and could include the revival of pre-Independence airstrips. India’s airport count, he said, has risen from 74 to 166 in 12 years, while the long-term Viksit Bharat 2047 vision targets 350 airports.

For travel businesses, the significance goes beyond infrastructure. New airports could open smaller cities and pilgrimage, leisure and business destinations to scheduled services, while creating demand for regional tour operators, airport hotels, destination-management companies and ground transport.

Pros

• Smaller tourism destinations, pilgrimage centres and business hubs could gain scheduled air connectivity.

• Regional airports may reduce travel time and make emerging destinations more attractive to tour operators.

• The programme could generate demand for airport hotels, car rentals, local guides, restaurants and destination-management companies.

• Improved connectivity may spread tourism revenue beyond major cities.

• Airlines could gain access to new regional routes supported by viability-gap funding.

Cons

• Some regional airports may struggle if passenger demand is insufficient throughout the year.

• Construction, land acquisition and environmental approvals could delay projects.

• Airlines may remain dependent on government subsidies on commercially weak routes.

• New airports without reliable last-mile transport may deliver limited tourism benefits.

• Rapid infrastructure expansion could increase pressure on fragile ecological and heritage sites.