The Indian government plans to invite global bids for 11 airports managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) by December 2026. The airports are proposed to be handed over to private operators under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model through 50-year concession agreements. The proposal has received approval from the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC), with further clearances expected before the bidding process begins. Scroll down to know more.
Which 11 Airports Are Set To Go For Privatisation?
Under the proposed plan, the 11 airports will be divided into five bundles, each combining a larger, busier airport with one or more smaller airports. The approach is intended to use revenue generated by airports with higher passenger traffic to support the operations and development of airports with lower passenger numbers. According to reports by Jagran Josh, the proposed list includes airports across several states, from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Amritsar in Punjab. The airports will be grouped into five bundles.
- Bundle 1: Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, Punjab, and Kangra-Gaggal Airport in Himachal Pradesh.
- Bundle 2: Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh; Gaya Airport in Bihar; and Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh.
- Bundle 3: Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and Hubballi Airport in Karnataka.
- Bundle 4: Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, and Aurangabad Airport, also known as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Airport, in Maharashtra.
- Bundle 5: Tiruchirappalli International Airport in Tamil Nadu and Tirupati Airport in Andhra Pradesh.
Airport privatisation under the PPP model involves private companies managing and operating airport facilities under long-term concession agreements, while ownership remains with the government. The proposed bundling system is intended to make the smaller airports more financially viable by pairing them with busier facilities.
Also Read: Why Airlines Opposed Mumbai’s Plan To Move International Flights To Navi Mumbai?
How Many Airports In India Operate Under The PPP Model?
According to the provided list, 14 airports in India currently operate under the public-private partnership model. These include Cochin International Airport, Kannur International Airport and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala. In Karnataka, the list includes Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and Mangaluru International Airport. Other airports operating under the model include Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Guwahati, Durgapur and Manohar International Airport in Mopa, Goa.
Also Read: Did You Know Mumbai Airport T2 Has Touch-Free Washroom Doors And Taps?
As of July 2026, India had 165 functional airports, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, while more than 60 airports were reportedly under construction. The proposed privatisation of the 11 AAI airports would expand private-sector participation in airport operations. However, the bidding process is subject to the remaining approvals, and the December 2026 timeline is the government’s stated target.
What are your thoughts about it?
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
FAQs
Which airports are being privatized?
India is privatising 11 airports grouped into five bundles under a 50-year public-private partnership (PPP) lease agreement.
Can the airport authority of India be privatised?
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) itself is not being fully privatised or sold, as the government maintains ownership of the statutory body and core sovereign functions.
Which are the main airports in India?
India's main and busiest international airports serve as primary aviation hubs and economic centers.
