Govt to pitch 11 airports to global investors ahead of December bidding

New Delhi: The government will hold promotional roadshows in major international financial hubs to attract global investors for its upcoming airport privatisation round, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bidding for 11 airports is set to begin by December, with the goal of finalising deals by the end of FY27. For the first time, the Airports Authority of India will bundle the airports into five groups, pairing smaller facilities with larger ones under 50-year lease agreements.

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"Since this is the first time airports are being offered as a bundle rather than an individual asset, roadshows will be held across the world to explain the modality to prospective bidders and get their feedback, said one of the persons, who did not wish to be identified.

"This will encourage increased participation," the person said.

Roadshows are being planned in cities such as Dubai and Singapore, besides Mumbai, to attract international investors, he said.

While Varanasi airport will be clubbed with Gaya and Kushinagar, Amritsar will be clubbed with Kangra, Bhubaneswar with Hubballi, Raipur with Aurangabad and Tiruchirappalli with Tirupati.

The government expects a new group of investors to participate in this bidding round, alongside current airport operators such as the GMR Group and the Adani Group.

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In addition to sovereign wealth funds in West Asia, major Indian corporate houses like the JSW Group are looking to acquire airports, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The AAI did not respond to ET's queries on the development.

In this round, the government will cap the number of airports a single entity can bid for, due to growing concerns over market concentration and the risk of monopolies in the aviation sector.