India’s domestic air passenger traffic is projected to touch 300 million by 2030 and about USD 11 billion is being spent to develop airports, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Monday. The minister also said India and France can work together to develop a robust global SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) supply chain.
He was speaking at the conference organised by the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) in the national capital. India is one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets and airlines are expanding their fleets well as networks to meet the rising demand.
Union Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu reviewed the development and expansion of Bhubaneswar Airport, aiming to increase its capacity to 80 lakh annually within the next month. Future plans include building a new T3 terminal and installing CAT II lighting. The existing facility now connects domestic and international terminals seamlessly.
Naidu said the domestic air passenger traffic is projected to touch 300 million by 2030 while 200 more airports are expected to be developed in the next 20-25 years. Currently, India has 157 airports, heliports and waterdrones. The number of operational airports is expected to reach 200 by the end of 2025. The potential for partnership between India and France is immense, the minister added.
