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The Centre has taken a major step towards expanding private participation in India’s airport sector. The Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) has granted in-principle approval for the operation, management and development of 11 Airports Authority of India (AAI) airports through the public-private partnership (PPP) route. The approval was given at the PPPAC’s 149th meeting on August 4, 2026, according to official records.

The airports will be offered in five separate bundles. The proposed model will pair larger airports with smaller ones.

11 Airports to Be Offered in Five Bundles

The proposed airport bundles are:

• Amritsar + Kangra-Gaggal
• Varanasi + Gaya + Kushinagar
• Bhubaneswar + Hubballi
• Raipur + Aurangabad
• Tiruchirappalli + Tirupati

Amritsar, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Raipur and Tiruchirappalli will serve as the anchor airports. The smaller airports will be bundled with these larger facilities. The structure is aimed at making the packages commercially attractive while also bringing private investment and expertise to smaller airports.

50-Year Airport Concessions Proposed

Under the proposed model, private players will compete for concessions lasting 50 years. Bidders are expected to quote a per-passenger fee linked to domestic passenger traffic. The government will also limit the number of bundles that one bidder can win. The move is significant as it could prevent excessive concentration among a handful of airport operators. The Finance Ministry has also raised concerns over the “oligopolistic nature” of the aviation sector, according to the PPPAC document.

Adani, GMR and Other Players Could Eye Bids

The proposed privatisation round could attract major infrastructure and airport operators. Adani Enterprises, already a leading private airport operator in India, has reportedly indicated plans to bid aggressively. GMR and Vinci have also been named among potential bidders in earlier reports. However, the process does not involve an outright sale of the airports.

AAI will continue to own the airports. Private concessionaires will get the rights to operate, manage and develop them for the agreed concession period. Once the concession ends, the airports will return to AAI.

What the Airport PPP Move Means

The latest approval sets the stage for another major airport monetisation exercise by the Centre. With 11 airports, five bundles and 50-year operating rights proposed, the bidding could lead to a fresh contest among India’s biggest airport and infrastructure companies.

The bundling of major and smaller airports could also shape how private operators approach less commercially developed aviation markets.

The post From Amritsar to Varanasi: Centre Clears 11 Airports for PPP; Which Ones Are Up for 50-Year Concessions? appeared first on NewsX.