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India will have a significant increase in the aviation infrastructure and the Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu has announced on February 13, 2026 that 50 new airports would be added in the next five years. The minister spoke at the National Urban and Real Estate Development Conclave 2026 held in New Delhi, where he talks of airports as the scaffolding to the real estate booming sector and urbanization in the country.

At this point the number of active airports in India has already multiplied 165 a dramatic increase since 74 in 2014. The pace at which the government is adding new facilities or terminals is quite astonishing, adding one every 33 days. The next 50 airports will be based on greenfield development, expansion of the brownfields as well as regional connectivity as part of such schemes like UDAN ( Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik ) in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to enhance accessibility, shorten travel time, and generate employment in the aviation sector, logistics, and other related aviation support industry.

Naidu stated that this growth will present enormous real estate opportunities, such as commercial projects, residential projects, renting projects, and infrastructure development, to serve airports. He estimated that in 2030 the real estate market may be valued at $1 trillion with aviation being a major driving force. The full vision is to be able to have 350 airports by 2047 under Viksit Bharat target.

In order to help this growth, the ministry is dealing with issues such as increasing the build height around airports (to maintain flight safety). There is a study that is in progress with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to come up with some balanced solutions including early buffer zone planning of greenfield sites and leave aviation safety intact, especially in metros like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.

This announcement is in line with the increase in the aviation sector in India due to the growth in passenger volumes, low-cost airline, and economic growth. The new airports will improve access to underserved areas, improve tourism, trade and the regional economies and they will offer employment to thousands of people.

This statement by Minister Naidu has hit the infrastructure and real estate worlds by storm as experts believe the game is being changed because of this statement to ensure balanced urban development. With India gaining pace in the process of developing into a developed country, this grandiose airport push is an indicative of seriousness in the approach to global connectivity and growth inclusive to all.