Mumbai is set to receive a major boost to its aviation capacity with the Navi Mumbai International Airport edging closer to operational readiness. The new airport, designed to ease congestion at the overburdened Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, is expected to begin operations later this year.
With India’s airlines placing record aircraft orders—pushing the national order book to nearly 1,900 planes—the need for expanded airport infrastructure has become critical. Mumbai, one of the country’s busiest aviation hubs, has been struggling with capacity constraints for years, making the new Navi Mumbai facility a game-changer for the city’s connectivity and growth.
Speaking at the Routes Asia conference held in Perth on 26 March 2025, senior officials overseeing the Navi Mumbai project shared promising updates on construction progress. They confirmed that work on the first phase is nearing completion, and plans for future phases have already been charted to accommodate long-term demand.
Airline executives present at the conference echoed the urgency, stating that without additional airport capacity, the rapid expansion of India’s aviation sector—particularly in Mumbai—would be severely hampered. The Navi Mumbai airport is expected to significantly reduce pressure on existing infrastructure and enable more domestic and international flights to and from the city.
As India’s financial capital positions itself for a new era of air travel, the successful launch of Navi Mumbai International Airport will be a key milestone in strengthening Mumbai’s role as a global gateway.
Source: CAPA
