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Informist, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026

 

HYDERABAD – At a time when aviation safety is becoming a point of focus with a rise in the number of accidents, Airports Authority of India Chairman Vipin Kumar Wednesday said the government plans to spend around INR 150 billion by 2028 to modernise airport infrastructure around the country.

 

At a round-table discussion at the Wings India 2026 event here, Kumar said most of the investment proposed will be in areas such as modernisation of air traffic control systems and related infrastructure. "Actually, in the last six months, we have discussed making all the ATC (air traffic control) towers, automation systems, and navigation systems future-ready," he said. "Because airports are just one part of the total ecosystem, but otherwise navigation is also very important."

 

Kumar said that though the country has several airports in operation along with the requisite staffing and passenger growth, availability of airspace is an important component of the ecosystem. "Efficiency can come with the flexibility of airspace, but at the same time having the best automation system and best technology and skilling of ATCs (air traffic controllers) is also important," he said.

 

The authority has been in touch with every airport to know what systems are installed, how old they are and what is their lifespan, and what systems are required to understand the current status of the country's aviation sector, he said. "On the basis of the data received, we have prepared a roadmap, which will be completed (executed) by the end of 2028," the chairman said. "It includes the civil construction of buildings, it includes the procurement of radars, it includes the replacement of automation systems at private airports also. Because navigation at private airports also has been provided by the Airports Authority of India."

 

Kumar said some tenders have been floated and others are in the works. "We are sure that by the end of 2028, we will declare that our aviation system, navigation system is future ready and of global standard," he said. The authority plans to cover 119 airports in the country as part of the upgrade plan.  End

 

Reported by Narayana Krishna

Edited by Rajeev Pai

 

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