India opens $2B airport in Mumbai to take on Singapore Changi

Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to begin operating in December, the city's second after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, CNN reported.

AP reported that the airport built by the Adani Group at an estimated US$2.2 billion aims to ease congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, one of the country's busiest.

Jeet Adani, director of airports for the Adani Group, cited top Asian airports as benchmarks.

CNN quoted him as saying: "Singapore Changi is known for efficiency and passenger experience. Navi Mumbai is designed to exceed it in ultimate capacity, while matching its digital backbone. Seoul Incheon and Tokyo Narita are examples of Asian order and technology. We aim to meet those benchmarks on airside, while surpassing them in growth headroom."

Airport officials said travelers could expect shorter lines, faster biometric check-ins and smoother connections as airlines expand services.

The airport will have a capacity of 20 million passengers annually before expanding to 90 million over the next few years, the Adani Group said in a statement.

It will be the first airport in India to be connected by water taxis in addition to high-speed rail, underground metro and highways.

"It is a reflection of a nation that is growing," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a speech at the inauguration ceremony.

The number of airports in India has increased to 160 now from 74 in 2014.

It is the world's third largest market in terms of departing passenger traffic behind the U.S. and China, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Some 174 million passengers traveled from and within India by air in 2024, or around 4.2% of the global total.