Navi Mumbai Airport Expansion Plans: CEO BVJK Sharma Provides Key Insights

India’s aviation sector is expected to handle around 500 million passengers annually by 2030, according to an estimate by BVJK Sharma, CEO of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). He further stated that this number could rise to 1 billion passengers by 2047. He noted that over 1,000 new aircraft orders placed by domestic airlines will significantly support capacity expansion in the sector.

Speaking at the “Airport 360 Expo 2026” held recently, he highlighted that India is currently among the top three aviation markets globally. In 2025, the country handled 412 million passengers and transported 3.5 million tonnes of cargo, marking a 20% increase compared to the pre-COVID period. While growth remains strong at present, he projected a slowdown to around 5.6% by 2044; however, passenger traffic is still expected to reach 1 billion annually by 2047. With around 160 operational airports and increasing investments, the aviation sector is contributing over $54 billion (more than ₹5 lakh crore) to the economy and generating employment for millions. He also revealed that the Navi Mumbai International Airport’s capacity will be expanded in phases to handle 90 million passengers by 2032.