India Targets 350 Airports by 2047 as Renovated Delhi T2 Set to Reopen: Aviation Minister

New Delhi, Oct 2025: Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu on Saturday inaugurated the renovated Terminal 2 (T2) of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), announcing that India aims to expand its airport network to 350 by 2047 as part of its long-term aviation growth strategy.

Speaking at the inauguration, the minister said India currently operates 164 airports and plans to add nearly 200 more in the next two decades. “The challenge is not just building airports but bringing in more aircraft to India,” Naidu remarked, underlining the need to strengthen both infrastructure and fleet capacity to sustain growth in passenger traffic.

The renovated T2 terminal, which had been closed since April 2025 for extensive modernization, will resume operations from Sunday. The upgrade, Naidu said, is a critical component of the government’s broader vision to establish India as a global aviation hub.

Acknowledging the surge in air traffic at India’s busiest airport, the minister noted that Delhi Airport is working toward handling 120 million passengers annually, with the revamped T2 expected to add about 15 million seats to the airport’s overall capacity.

Naidu also provided updates on the AI-171 crash investigation, assuring that a “thorough and transparent inquiry” is underway. The probe is being conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

He highlighted a milestone achievement in India’s aviation safety capability, stating that the black box of the crashed aircraft was decoded domestically for the first time, marking a significant technological advancement for the country.

Reflecting on India’s progress in aviation infrastructure, Naidu said, “Over the last decade, we’ve become experts in building airports. You give us land anywhere, and we will build a world-class airport.”

With its expanded capacity of 109 million passengers per year, Delhi’s IGIA has joined the elite ‘100-million-plus’ club of global airports — a group that includes only six airports worldwide, according to data from the Official Airline Guide (OAG) and airport operators.