India’s Second-Airport Era Prepares for Takeoff
Photo Credit: The check-in hall at Mumbai Navi Airport. Ajay Awtaney
Skift Take
As India accelerates toward becoming the world’s third-largest aviation market, the race to build new airports – and attract private capital – is reshaping how its cities connect to the world.
Indian airports were once a byword for chaos, long queues, and disorganisation. That reputation, however, is changing. The turning point came during the aviation boom of the early 2000s, when rising capacity led to delays across the network.
This prompted both the federal and local governments of India to recognize the need to add capacity to sustain growth. Indian airports handled 169 million passengers in 2013–14 – a figure that soared to 412 million by 2024–25.
Goa: India’s First Dual-Airport StateThe Indian state of Goa, a popular tourist destination, became the first to establish a dual airport system.
Previously, Goa had only one airport, Dabolim (GOI), which operated within a naval airbase since 1966. However, sharing the site with the Indian Navy imposed significant restrictions on aircraft movement during peak morning hours and at night, limiting its potential for expansion. Traffic reached 7.3 million passengers and approxi
