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Move pits airport expansion ambitions against airlines’ protectionist concerns.

Adani Pushes for More Flying Rights to Boost Traffic at Its Airports.

The Adani Group has urged the Centre to grant additional international flying rights as it looks to drive higher passenger traffic across its eight airports, where it is investing heavily in terminals, runways and passenger facilities. The group has asked the government to initiate negotiations with countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia to expand bilateral air service agreements. This position clashes with India’s largest airlines—Air India and IndiGo—which have cautioned against rapid liberalisation, citing the risk of intense competition from cash-rich West Asian carriers. Adani Airports Holdings argues that restricting capacity could undermine billions of dollars being invested in airport infrastructure and lead to higher airfares for Indian passengers. The group recently operationalised the Navi Mumbai airport and plans to invest $11.1 billion by 2030 to develop world-class aviation hubs. However, India’s cautious policy on flying rights, aimed at protecting domestic airlines, has led to capacity constraints and rising ticket prices. The debate now highlights the growing tension between airline protection and airport-led growth ambitions.