Post by : Badri Ariffin

Photo: Reuters

Adani Airports (AAHL) has raised $750 million from banks outside India. The money will help the company pay off some debt and improve its airports. The goal is to handle three times more passengers by the year 2040.

This loan, called external commercial borrowing (ECB), came from a group of banks led by First Abu Dhabi Bank, Barclays, and Standard Chartered Bank. Out of the $750 million, $400 million will be used to pay old loans, and the rest will help build new airport facilities and grow other businesses like shops and food services at six airports.

AAHL is part of Adani Enterprises and is India’s largest private airport company. It manages airports in Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram. The company is also working to increase money from duty-free shops, restaurants, and other airport services.

Arun Bansal, the CEO of AAHL, said the company is focused on making airports better for travelers by using new technology and being careful about the environment and community support. He also said that the support from big global banks shows the trust they have in India’s airport growth.

In the financial year 2025, AAHL handled 94 million passengers. Its airports can handle up to 110 million passengers now. But by 2040, the company wants to increase this to 300 million passengers through gradual expansion.

One big project is the new Navi Mumbai International Airport, which will add space for 20 million passengers in its first phase and could grow to handle 90 million passengers every year later.

AAHL runs eight airports, including a major share in Mumbai International Airport. The Navi Mumbai airport is expected to be ready by August. Together, AAHL’s airports handle about 23% of all passengers and 29% of all cargo that moves through India’s airports. This makes AAHL an important player in India’s aviation industry.